


The Thread Between Us

by surpanakha



Category: Warrior Nun (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Sexual Situations, Drama, F/F, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Lots of drama, Some depictions of violence, and heartache, graphic depictions of sex, this has a sprinkling of lilshotgun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:47:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 180,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25374133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surpanakha/pseuds/surpanakha
Summary: AU. Ava Silva is a young actress with a resurrected Hollywood career. Beatrice is a UFC fighter who moves in next door to her in Malibu. Her training keeps the actress up at night.
Relationships: Shotgun Mary & Ava Silva, Sister Beatrice & Sister Camila & Sister Lilith & Shotgun Mary & Ava Silva, Sister Beatrice/Ava Silva, Sister Camila & Ava Silva, Sister Lilith & Ava Silva
Comments: 585
Kudos: 1288





	1. Neighborhood Troubles

Ava Silva was used to the beach growing up. She loved everything about the City of Malibu: the Pacific Ocean, sun-kissed shores, and of course, the drama in the neighborhood of the stars. When she was five, Ava became the star of a hit family sitcom that was filmed in the west coast. By the time the show ended eight seasons later, she was able to invest her earnings in a manor in Malibu with the help of her legal guardian. Her parents had passed away in a car accident when Ava was thirteen, and since then, she had been under the wing of her aunt - her mother’s sister - who also served as her manager until the old woman, herself, succumbed to ovarian cancer five years later.

When the job offers dried up as she hit puberty, Ava moved to the east coast to hone her craft in a handful of off-Broadway productions, all while studying dance and acting. During the years she lived in New York City, the Malibu manor was put up for a lease, and was rented by a Silicon Valley senior officer as his summer house. The income from the manor helped put Ava in a comfortable situation in the big apple.

Three years after her aunt’s death, and almost a year ago, Ava Silva landed a movie role that restarted her stalled Hollywood career. She played the princess in a live-action Disney movie. The adaptation did so well that the studio ordered a sequel to be written just for her. Even her performance was universally praised. It seemed that her years in New York paid off, and she was ready to move back to California.

Ava had been living in the Malibu manor alone for six months. She valued her privacy, and there were no housekeepers except for cleaners who arrived twice a week. Sometimes, her boyfriend, JC, would stay for a week or two whenever his photography job brought him to California. Ava’s years in her NYC apartment taught her how to take care of herself, and she preferred to live that way. The silence of an almost empty house, in contrast with the noise of Hollywood, helps her sleep easy at night in between shooting schedules.

Except for this past week. Ava groaned through her pillow. It was the fifth night in a row that the loud, continuous thudding noise from her neighbor has kept her up at night. It was like clockwork. Starting at around eleven in the evening, the sound of a blunt object hitting a surface, like a kick on a punching bag, punctuated by a heavy grunting, would carry all the way from her neighbor’s backyard to Ava’s bedroom.

Ava got up from her king-sized bed and padded softly on the carpeted floor to the window facing her neighbor’s house. She drew the blinds to peer at what was going on.

The house was smaller than hers, a one-story Mediterranean type building. The well-mowed courtyard, however, was bigger than Ava’s, and there was a lap pool. Ava was concealed behind the tall palm trees lining her neighbor’s wall, as she spied on who was creating the noise.

At a shaded area near the pool was what Ava could describe as a home gym. There was a full squat rack, barbell plates, a dumbbell set, a curved treadmill, and a row machine. In the middle, there was a punching bag swinging with each blow from the sole person in the space.

“Ha!” the woman grunted as she delivered another high-flying kick.

“Oh, for godssakes!” Ava hissed. She dialed her boyfriend. He picked up after three rings.

“Hi babe, is this a bad time?” Ava said, putting on her cute voice.

“No, we actually just wrapped up,” JC replied. Her boyfriend was in Malaysia doing a photoshoot for Men’s Health. Ava met the boy when she was still a student in acting school in New York. JC was a small-time photographer at that time working for a studio situated in one of Broadway's side streets. He did the headshots for Ava's class. That same headshot landed Ava her comeback role as a Disney princess.

“She’s at it again!” Ava complained.

“Your UFC fighter neighbor trains every night?” JC said over the phone.

“She’s been at it since she moved this week,” Ava replied.

“Are you sure, she’s not Ronda Rousey?” JC asked.

“No, I don’t think so, she seems more petite, probably a lower weight division,” Ava replied, peering through the blinds. “We’re not even sure if she’s a UFC fighter. “

“Who else could afford a house in Malibu?” JC replied.

“I hate that I’m such a light sleeper!” Ava said, dropping facedown to her bed. At any other time, she would find such a trait a blessing, especially when she’s on the go. But she didn’t appreciate being woken up from her sleep so easily when she is on a break from shooting.

“I think you should try your best to catch a few hours of sleep now. Play some music, it may help with the noise” JC suggested. “Listen, I have to go, I’ll see you next week, babe.”

“I miss you, bye.” Ava hung up. JC was her first real boyfriend. They had been together for three years, but between both of their jobs, they’ve only been physically together for about nine months out of those years. Ava was just glad that JC was able to take two weeks off, and would be arriving next Monday, before flying to London for another shoot.

“Alexa, play the Sleep Songs playlist,” Ava yelled to the void.

“Playing Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi from the Sleep Songs playlist,” a disembodied female voice replied. The music that filled the room drowned out the sound from the outside world and Ava started to fall asleep.

xxx

The actress woke up at around 7:00 in the morning and was busy until late afternoon. Her agent had sent her four scripts to review, and by the time she was done at 3:30 PM, her eyes were already hurting. The actress stifled a yawn as she called her social media manager.

“Hey, Chanel, my agent’s been bugging me about not posting on Instagram for a week, says that fans are speculating a break-up,” Ava stated.

The Golden Globes were the first outing of Ava and JC as a couple, and ever since she took him as her date, her fans have labeled them #couplegoals. The young actress and the handsome, up and coming photographer looked just too perfect on TV. They were christened with the couple name "Java."

“There’s nothing new to post, you haven’t seen the outside of your house for a week. You have to give me something here, Ava,” Chanel replied. “Oh, what about the flowers JC sent you the other day? I hope you took nice pictures.”

“About that one, I don’t think JC actually sent those to me. I asked him about it yesterday and he had no clue. It’s probably just his best friend, Bryan, trying to be an upstanding guy,” Ava said.

“Well, tell me about your day, there might be something,” Chanel prodded. Ava glanced at the scripts at the living room coffee table.

“I just finished reading the scripts Bobby sent me,” Ava replied.

“Well, are they any good, any role you’re excited about? Maybe we could post a teaser or something,” Chanel asked.

“Hmmm, all of these are pretty much the same role as my Disney movie. Nothing really spoke to me,” Ava admitted.

“Ava, you have to help me out here. Anything else you want to do for the rest of the day?” Chanel suggested. Ava looked outside the window. The sun looked warm and not prickly, and the palm trees at the property of her neighbor swayed with the light wind.

“I think I want to go for a run,” Ava said.

“That’s a great idea, Ava, Reebok, would like that, just make sure to wear the shoes and take the pics,” Chanel lit up. Ava groaned. She hated how the shoes were too wide on her feet, but she signed a two-year sponsorship contract so, “Of course, I’ll wear the shoes and take photos.”

“Great, can’t wait to see them!” Chanel said excitedly before hanging up on her client.

Ava went up to her room to change. The oak staircase led to a blue carpeted hallway. There were three bedrooms upstairs, including the masters where Ava slept.

She changed into a pair of sports bra, a loose, pink Reebok shirt, and a pair of white yoga pants. She then proceeded to her walk-in closet to pick a pair of Reebok sneakers that best matched her outfit. Going back downstairs and into the kitchen, she took a bite from the last remaining granola bar in the pantry and took a tiny sip of water.

Ava stepped outside with her sunglasses on and took the route to the least populated area in the village. She didn’t like listening to music whenever she ran. Running helped Ava think and she liked to be alone with her thoughts. This afternoon, it was JC she thought about. She was maudlin about how he would be arriving next week, but how guilty she was at not being excited. At all. It had been a long time since JC had last excited the actress, and she was sure it was the same for the photographer. She wondered if they were getting too comfortable with one another.

She passed by the same hat store for the third time when another woman jogged beside her, matching her pace. Most of the time, the residents of Malibu are used to celebrities and tend to leave them alone. Ava tried to distance herself a bit, but not too much. The worst that could happen is her pace getting interrupted should this woman ask for a photo.

“Just follow my pace, I think someone is following you,” the woman said. Ava turned to her left to look at the woman. She was looking straight ahead as if she did not just address her.

“I beg your pardon?” Ava said. Malibu can have its share of crazies.

“That silver Nissan, it has been following you for three laps now,” the woman replied, finally looking at Ava.

Ava could appreciate beauty whether in a man or a woman. She works in Hollywood and she’s surrounded by beauty all the time. Hell, she wouldn’t even pay attention to JC if the boy had not been beautiful. But here, in Malibu, at the residence of stars, the woman beside her still managed to be a breath of fresh air.

Yet she looked familiar.

“Come on, I don’t want to see another girl running alone if she’s being followed,” the woman spoke again when Ava did not reply. “I just want to confirm whether I’m mistaken before I leave you alone.”

Ava did not know whether it’s the other woman’s deep, authoritative voice, or the way she ran with such grace that made her follow her lead. The woman now ran a few paces in front of her, and Ava saw that she was wearing a black tank top with matching black yoga shorts. Her feet were pounding on the pavement in a pair of Reebok sneakers that Ava was endorsing.

Maybe it was the woman’s beautiful face or the fact that she did not seem to recognize Ava at all that made the actress trust her. She followed her into a brick alley, crouching behind her as she scouted the corner.

“They’ve stopped. I think they were really following you,” the woman said. “It’s just two men, that’s alright,” she reassured Ava. “Come on, hide behind the bin.”

Ava did as the woman said, and hid behind two trash bins. She pulled her phone out discretely to record whatever it was about to happen. She saw the woman pin her back to the wall as she hid behind the corner. A few seconds later, two men clad in black, and about twice Ava’s size approached the alley, seemingly looking for someone. They did not notice the woman who at that moment hid in plain sight. The first man spotted Ava behind the bin and was about to approach her when a pair of slender legs were wrapped around his neck. The woman straddled the first man’s shoulders and then twisted, bringing him down. The second man pulled out a taser and tried to take on the woman, but she expertly moved out of the way that the shock from the device landed on his companion, causing him to lose consciousness. She then delivered a swift elbow to the back of the head of the second man, causing him, too, to blackout.

The two bodies were now in a pile at the woman’s feet, who wiped the dust off her arms as she stood up and walked towards Ava.

‘She's a badass,’ Ava thought.

“You okay?” the woman said, offering her hand to Ava. The actress took it and stood up.

“Only thanks to you,” she replied.

“Come on, let’s try to put a distance before one of them wakes up,” the woman said.

Ava followed the other girl as she jogged to the more populated area in the village. It was ten minutes of running until she had to stop and catch her breath. Ava guessed she was still flustered from the fight. She turned to face Ava.

“At first, I thought the people in the car were lost, but I noticed they would slow down whenever you would slow down, and that’s when I had the suspicion,” she explained.

“Oh no, they got you,” Ava said, motioning to the woman’s left cheek, which had a cut and was bleeding. She was about to touch it but the woman beat her to it, lifting the hem of her shirt up to dab at it. Ava saw ripples of muscles on her stomach and looked away.

“Ouch, did not notice that. Must have been the first one as I brought him down,” the woman replied. “I guess I have to walk home now to tend to the cut, nice meeting you.”

“Wait!” Ava said, touching the woman on the arm as she tried to move away. “Can I walk you to your house?”

“Are you still afraid?” the woman said, looking concerned.

“No, it’s not the first time I’ve been stalked but, it’s the least I could do after you saved me from the worst incident yet,” Ava said. “I’m Ava, by the way, Ava Silva,” she extended a hand.

If Ava was expecting any indication of recognition in the woman’s face, there wasn’t any, and the actress was disappointed.

“I’m Beatrice,” the woman replied, shaking her hand. The pair walked in companionable silence for ten minutes. Beatrice took a turn into Ava’s street and the actress followed.

“Just Beatrice?” Ava asked, intrigued. The woman stopped in front of the house next to Ava’s.

“Beatrice “the Beast”,” the woman emphasized. “This is my stop,” she said, gesturing at the house beside the actress'.

“No way! You are petite UFC fighter neighbor? I live next to you!” Ava said excitedly.

“Uh, I am a flyweight fighter, yes,” Beatrice replied, amused. “I didn’t take you for a UFC fan.”

“Not really, but I remember now why you looked familiar! You were on the cover of Sports Illustrated months ago, you won your first professional match against an undefeated champion!” Ava said.

“Yes, well, she was out of her prime and I was fifteen years younger than her,” Beatrice said, trying to downplay it.

“You’re saying it like it’s not a big deal,” Ava said.

“It is, but it’s just one fight, not a career. And that’s what I’m working on,” Beatrice replied.

“Yeah about that. You like working on your career so late at night?” Ava said.

“What do you - oh, has my training been keeping you up since I moved in?” Beatrice asked.

“I just have hypersensitive ears, like a dog, and I wake up too easily,” Ava explained.

“You’re adorable,” Beatrice chuckled. “I’m sorry about that. I just came back after training for two months in Japan. Jet lag. But I can’t wait to adjust my sleep schedule because I have an upcoming fight.”

“I understand, totally,” Ava replied, not believing she was saying that to the neighbor she has hated for an entire week.

“Your house is big, you live there alone?” Beatrice asked.

“Yes, pretty much, except when cleaners are scheduled to come over, which would be, tomorrow,” Ava replied. "And someone else is coming over to fix the security cameras and the alarms system.”

“Well, I’ll see you around, Ava,” Beatrice bid her goodbye with a smile and opened the front, wrought iron gate of her house.

xxx

“You would not believe who I met today,” Ava said as she settled with a glass of wine in bed.

“Who?” JC asked over the phone with a disinterested voice.

“Remember petite UFC fighter neighbor? I know who it is. It’s Beatrice “the Beast”,” Ava exclaimed.

“The one I shot a cover photo for?” JC asked, his voice now lighting up.

“Yes, that was why she looked familiar. She was on the cover of that magazine you sent me,” Ava has kept a clipping of every photo JC has shot professionally. On bed with her currently was a copy of the Sports Illustrated issue from January featuring a photo of her neighbor and the words **“YOUNG CHAMPIONS: WHEN DAVIDS TOPPLE GOLIATHS”**. It was a feature on several young athletes, not just Beatrice, but she was chosen for the cover because she just won a sensational match against an undefeated champion, and during her debut in the UFC at that.

“Wow, I have no idea how much UFC pays its fighters but, to able to afford a house in Malibu after just one match?” JC with disbelief in his voice.

“Well, maybe she didn’t pay in cash,” Ava replied, taking a gulp of wine. “Listen, she seems kind of cool and I kind of want to get to know her more, you think maybe we could set her up with Bryan when you arrive next week?”

“Bryan? I mean, he's single and looking. And Beatrice is pretty. There’s no reason she won’t be Bryan’s type but, when I met her, Beatrice seemed really private. And, I’m not so sure what’s her type,” JC replied.

“What do you mean “what’s her type”? Did you hear something in your circle? You think she might be gay?” Ava asked, suddenly sitting up.

“Just a smoke here and there, but where there's smoke there's fire. I told you she’s very private. Reserved. Did not smile much or at all during our shoot when everybody else was basically goofing around the set,” JC narrated.

“Well, that’s fine then. If she’s no fun like that then I don’t want her in our friend group. And did I tell you she pretended not to recognize me?” Ava huffed. She set her finished wine glass by the bedside table and laid down once more.

“Awww, poor baby,” JC replied, mocking concern. The pair laughed.

“Goodnight, Ava,” JC said.

“Goodnight, baby,” Ava replied.

The actress turned to her side to try to sleep. From across the lawn, the sound of Beatrice striking a blow on her punching bag was carried all the way to Ava’s bedroom, but the actress felt safer for it and she no longer felt the need to drown it out. In minutes, she fell soundly asleep.

It was only at two in the morning, or about three hours later, that Ava was awakened by the sound of glass breaking downstairs.


	2. The Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some truth about Ava is revealed and Beatrice is willing to help.

Ava was awakened by the sound of glass breaking downstairs. She immediately grabbed what was within reach by her bedside table, which was the empty wine glass from the night before. The actress stood up, alert, as she trained her hypersensitive ear towards the door, trying to listen to what was going on. She heard the sound of someone fumbling through the office downstairs, the noise of drawers and shelves being opened and shut. She was frozen where she stood, and about ten minutes later, she heard the creaking of the oak staircase as someone slowly climbed the steps to the second floor of the house where her room was located.

‘Fuck, fuck, fuck! I should have gotten that gun when I could!’ Ava thought as she backed away into her bed to try and reach her phone. The wooden floorboards of the hallway leading to her room where now creaking, and Ava could hear her heart hammering against her chest. It was when she felt someone else’s hand cover her mouth that she almost jumped.

“Shhhh,” the person, a woman, whispered to her ear.

“Beatrice?” Ava said, half afraid, half relieved.

“There was an open window. Luckily, it led to your bathroom. Have you no alarm system?” Beatrice whispered. She led Ava away from the door and to her closet.

“No, I told you someone was coming today to fix it,” Ava replied.

“You have your phone?” Beatrice asked.

“Yes,” Ava said, showing her phone which she was able to grab before Beatrice arrived.

“Call the cops, hide in the closet, I’ll take care of this,” Beatrice said. Ava’s eyes were only then adjusting to the dark, and she saw Beatrice for the first time that hour. She was wearing a gray tank top and a pair of black yoga shorts. Her hands were bound in some form of elastic cloth wrap. Her feet, which were bare, were bound as well.

“This person might be armed!” Ava warned, holding on to Beatrice’ hand.

“Just go, quickly!” Beatrice hissed, and she did as the other woman commanded. Ava hid behind the closet door which she kept partially open to get a glimpse of what was happening on the other side. She pulled out her phone and called the number of the cop she had on speed dial.

Ava saw Beatrice hide behind the bedroom door, holding her bedside lamp. She heard the sound of the knob turning and the hinge of the door creaking as a man entered her room, his hand on a gun. The next thing Ava saw was Beatrice delivering a swift kick to the hand in question, causing the intruder to let go of the weapon. Her neighbor kicked the gun to a corner, far from the reach of its owner. Before the man could recover from the pain in his hand, Beatrice brought the lamp down on his head. Its porcelain body broke upon impact.

The actress assumed that some of the blood now flowing from the intruder’s head got stuck in his eyes because he was now just swinging his mighty fists wildly at her neighbor, who was expertly dodging each blow. Beatrice did a handstand and wrapped her legs around the man’s neck before twisting and bringing him down with her.

‘Ooooh, that looks like her favorite move,’ Ava thought as she got off the phone with the cop.

The man stood up, massaging his neck, and before Beatrice could deliver a kick to his head, he bolted out of the room. Ava could hear the swift sound of wild footsteps going down her staircase. Another sound of glass breaking, and then of tires screeching on the street in front of her house, suggested that the intruder had gotten away.

Ava ran to the switch to turn on the lights. Beatrice was sitting at the foot of her bed, her chest heaving up and down. There was sweat on her neck, and some wisps of black hair that escaped her braid were stuck on her nape.

“Are you okay?” Ava asked, worried.

“Yeah, are you? Are the cops on their way?” Beatrice replied breathlessly. Her face was flushed.

“Yes, but it’s just a cop. She’s on her way,” Ava replied, helping Beatrice up to her feet.

xxx

Ava sat on her living room couch in her white evening robes. Every light bulb on that floor was turned on and the electric fireplace was roaring. The cop paced the living room floor reporting her initial observations of the damage: a glass wall panel in the first floor was broken which must have been the point of entry, and Ava’s office was a mess, but other than the carnage inside the master's bedroom, everything else was untouched. The intruder’s pistol was tucked safely in a ziplock resting on the living room coffee table.

Not that Ava was listening. Her hand supported her face as she watched Beatrice in the kitchen, fixing them something to eat. Ava saw her neighbor expertly navigate through the fridge and the pantry to make tea and grilled cheese sandwich. Without Ava telling the girl what she needed at the time, Beatrice seemed to know. Comfort food always helped in these situations. But then again, Ava had barely known her for a day and she always seemed to know what to do.

And she saved her life twice.

“Is that right, Ava?” the cop addressed the actress.

“The what now?” Ava replied, not really hearing the question.

“Were you even listening?” the cop said, sitting down. She looked at Ava’s line of sight which ended up at Beatrice.

“I’m sorry, Mary, I got distracted. I still have the nerves from what happened,” Ava replied, blinking to transfer her focus back on the cop. Mary placed her hands inside the pockets of her brown coat and simply shook her head.

“I’ve proven that it always helps when you have something to fill your stomach,” Beatrice said, approaching the living room with a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches cut into triangles, and a tea set. “I’m sorry for raiding your kitchen, you don’t look like you're in any position to prepare something for yourself, so I decided to take care of things.”

“Speak for yourself. You took down three men, each about twice your size, all I did was watch the whole time,” Ava replied, taking a sandwich in her hands. Ava observed how Beatrice elegantly poured tea to each of the three cups on the tray, making the living room smell of mint. The grace in her hands as she did the task was a huge contrast to the energy they had when they delivered those punches. Ava caught herself staring again at her neighbor and she blinked once more to turn her focus on the cop.

“Three men? You told me there was one intruder?” Mary said, whipping her notebook out once more to take down notes, the tips of her braids swaying on the surface of the pad.

“No, I-uh-kind of forgot to tell you that I was stalked just this afternoon while I was out for a run,” Ava said. The cop glared at her.

“You can’t omit telling me these things, Ava, this is part of your deal. How do you expect me to protect you?” Mary said.

“Protect me? Your chief refused my request for round-a-clock security. She knows I live alone in this house,” Ava retorted.

“It’s because it will attract attention. Yours is a top-secret case,” Mary said. “That’s why we installed the cameras and the alarm system.”

“Which broke down two days ago, how convenient,” Ava replied.

Mary gave that statement a thought as Beatrice cleared her throat.

“If I may?” Beatrice said. The cop nodded for her to continue. “I was training, doing my usual drills on my lawn when I heard the sound of glass breaking from my neighbor’s house. She had already been stalked by two men this afternoon so I was keeping my ears peeled. I climbed one of the palm trees in my yard and scaled the wall, reaching for an open window on the second floor of her house that I was able to hoist myself through. Luckily, it was the window of the bathroom inside Ava’s room,” Beatrice recounted.

“These two men you said were stalking Ava, you brought both of them down?” Mary said, sizing Beatrice.

“I was running this afternoon at the quiet area in the neighborhood when I noticed this silver Nissan sedan following this woman, who turned out to be Ava, for about three laps. I ran up to her to make sure she’s not alone. And yes, I took both of them down,” Beatrice narrated.

“You?” Mary said with a disbelieving look on her face.

“She’s my petite UFC fighter neighbor,” Ava said proudly.

“Flyweight, Ava, I am a flyweight fighter. There really is no petite weight class,” Beatrice corrected the actress.

“Miss, uh..” Mary began.

“Beatrice,” the fighter replied.

“Could you excuse us for a bit, I have something to discuss with Ms. Silva,” Mary said.

“No, she can stay,” Ava said. Mary shook her head at the actress. “She saved my life twice now. I owe her the truth.”

Mary seemed to consider what Ava said as she regarded Beatrice. After a while, the cop seemed to decide that her neighbor was harmless.

“Do you trust her?” she addressed Ava.

“Yes,” Ava replied categorically.

“Sure, you can stay. But none of this is coming out of this living room, you hear me? This is your chance to walk away before you find out anything,” Mary warned.

“No, I can stay,” Beatrice replied as she sat down on the couch opposite Ava’s. The actress regretted that she didn’t sit beside her.

“You want to start?” Mary told Ava pointedly. The actress adjusted to a more comfortable position in her seat.

“I came back to Hollywood a year ago to shoot my first movie in eight years. You see, I used to be a child actress but I stopped getting booked as soon as I turned thirteen. Before I received a confirmation of my casting, an executive of the studio asked to meet with me in the penthouse of the Beverly Hills Hotel,” Ava narrated.

“It was Adriel Alonso. He was straightforward with what he wanted with me. He said he only cast me because I looked like a minor at twenty-one. Tried to put his hands on me. It was disgusting,” she continued. She saw lines form on Beatrice’ forehead, her perfect brows starting to knit together.

“But I was warned beforehand about his reputation. It was an open secret in Hollywood. So before I went to meet him, I planned to record everything. Not on my phone, I had to surrender my phone to his closed in security. I was wearing a wire under my clothes,” the actress continued. “And I had a plan to thwart him.”

“I told him instead of being his girl, I could be his partner. I convinced him that I was friendly. Actresses and models warm up easily to me, especially because they used to know me as this child actress from the family sitcom they loved. I told him I could help bring him girls. He liked the idea, admired my entrepreneurial spirit, said it was what set him up in Hollywood in the first place. He said I had a long career ahead of me if I played to his wants. Nothing happened between us during that meeting and I immediately went to the cops. Well, a cop,” Ava nodded at Mary. “Mary is with the sex trafficking unit, she specializes in covert operations. I soon learned that Adriel has the police in his pocket, but I trust Mary.”

“Ava has been gathering evidence for us, giving us names of accomplices in the industry, victims, trying to convince others to turn witness. She is our state witness in the case we’re building against Adriel Alonso,” Mary continued.

“Yes, I asked Adriel to give me time, let me learn the ropes. I was there with him at every awards show after-party, every fashion show, I found out how he and his cohorts were able to manipulate women. I was able to avoid roping in any girl for him for the longest time on the pretext that I was still learning. But I could not avoid him forever, it’s only a matter of time before he suspects something’s afoot,” Ava said.

Beatrice shifted in her seat, giving the information a thought.

“So the plan is to gather enough evidence to expose Adriel and those with him?” Beatrice asked.

“That was the plan,” Ava replied. Mary’s head shot up upon hearing Ava’s answer.

“What do you mean that WAS the plan?” Mary asked.

“I want out, Mary, I only went to Hollywood to be an actress, not a hero.”

“You were the one who met with Adriel wearing a wire,” Mary pointed out.

“Yes, but that was to protect myself. This has gone out of hand! Men stalking me, breaking into my home? I did not sign up for that,” Ava said. “Haven’t I provided you with enough names, recordings?”

“You have to testify on the evidence, or else everything would be considered without basis and get easily thrown out of court by Adriel’s lawyers. All your efforts would have been for nothing!” Mary replied. “Look, if you are not going to be a state witness, I cannot offer you protection. We will file the case in a month, all I’m asking is for you to just hold on until then.”

“We’re not sure if I would still be alive in a month,” Ava retorted.

“Look at it this way, Ava,” Beatrice spoke for the first time. “Whether or not you go through with the plan, Adriel already knows that something is up and has been trying to scare you or even harm you. You have nothing to lose now. It’s better to be under Mary’s protection than to sit here all alone in this big house.”

“She’s right,” Mary agreed.

“Well, Mary’s protection is not enough, is it,” Ava said, glaring at the cop.

“I just have to get you to a safe house I can trust until the end of the month,” Mary replied.

“What do you mean a safe house you can trust?” Ava said. Mary sighed.

“The thing is, they broke into your house within the two day period that your security alarm system and cameras were not working. Only two other people know that they need fixing, me, and Mother Superion,” Mary related.

“Mother Superion?” Beatrice asked, confused.

“It’s my nickname for our chief. She runs the department like a convent,” Mary explained. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“You can’t trust that your supervisor is not on Adriel’s payola, yet you expect me to believe that you could keep me safe until the end of the month?” Ava said, not believing her ears.

“It’s not that I can’t trust her. We just can’t be too careful. A lot of things are at stake and we don’t want to make any mistakes. I need to hide you somewhere no one would expect until the end of the month until I can be sure who we can trust,” Mary replied.

“You can’t hide me until the end of the month, I have plans! Scripts to review, interviews to give, people to meet! I have an entire career, Mary,” Ava replied but the cop was already lost in thought and seemed to ignore her.

“I have an idea,” Beatrice said, suddenly standing up. “You said a place no one would expect an actress to be hiding in.”

Mary nodded.

“Well, I have a fight at the end of the month, and for the weeks leading to the fight, I usually train at this mountain camp in North Dakota. You know, greater elevation, thinner air,” Beatrice explained.

“I get it,” Mary replied.

“She can come with me as my guest. The training camp is a private facility, every person entering is vetted and made to sign an NDA, you know, so fighting strategies would not get leaked,” Beatrice continued. “These are people I trust, and I've been training there with them since I was an amateur fighter. I could call my manager now to add a clause in the NDA regarding Ava’s presence at the camp. The thing is, no one would think Ava would be at an MMA training camp up in the mountains."

"I have to fly to North Dakota tomorrow, but, I understand that Ava cannot leave any paper trail behind, so we can drive up there instead," Beatrice added.

“It’s perfect,” Mary replied. Ava glared at the cop and then her neighbor who both seemed to have decided on her fate.

“I said what I said, Mary, I’m not doing it. This is ridiculous,” Ava retorted. “I said I don’t want to do this anymore. I just want to live my life.”

“Ava, lots of women are depending on you,” Beatrice reasoned.

“Not if it’s my life in danger,” Ava replied.

“I will never put you in danger, you know that,” the fighter said.

“I have plans for next week! I don’t want to go to some training camp for amateur fighters who have not proven anything yet,” Ava regretted it the moment the words escaped her mouth. It was her defense mechanism. Flight, not fight. When flight is not an option, she will try to insult her way out of a situation.

“You can say the same for yourself, Ms. Silva. I have a fight to win, I don’t have the time and the luxury for distraction to help amateur actresses who do not seem to know what they want, yet here I am,” her neighbor retorted.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Ava started.

“Not important. What’s important is what you are going to do now,” Beatrice replied. “You get to decide, but do it fast. I have phone calls to make and preparations to do for your arrival at the camp.”

“Can you give us a minute?” Mary addressed Beatrice. The fighter nodded and stepped out of the living room through the hole in the glass wall. Ava saw her cross her arms above her chest. The actress only now noticed that Beatrice was still wearing her training clothes. Despite the electric fireplace, Ava could feel the cold wind gushing from the hole in the wall. She must be freezing outside, exposed to the early morning breeze.

“Look, I hate to tell you this, but you are in a lose-lose situation. Whether you go through with the plan, Adriel still knows something is up. You better make the choice to do what is right,” Mary said.

“I understand, I just feel so, so alone. I have not told anyone about what I am doing, not even my boyfriend, as I should. I just don’t know if I could see through this alone,” Ava admitted.

“You are mistaken. You have me. I’m with you in this fight. And now, you have Beatrice,” Mary said, glancing at the woman outside.

“Listen, we have to hide you quickly, and I have no time to vet Beatrice so I just have to trust my gut here, and it has never failed me,” Mary added.

“And what does your gut tell you?” Ava asked.

“That her heart is in the right place,” Mary replied. “I’ll come back later before you leave for North Dakota, I’ll give you a burner phone. If anything, and I mean anything, looks out of the ordinary, you give me a call. And don’t tell her about this, okay?”

“Okay,” Ava replied. “But I haven’t said I’d come with her.”

“I’m sure you’ll do the right thing,” Mary said, patting Ava's shoulder as she stood up from the couch.

“Hey, Beatrice!” Mary said. Beatrice turned to step back into the house. “When do you plan to leave?”

“We can drive later at around four in the afternoon, I’ll take the first shift. I can drive at night since I still have jet lag,” Beatrice replied. “I trust you can drive? It’s a twenty-three-hour ride from here to North Dakota. I don’t want to have to stop unless it is to eat. Not flying in will already put me behind in my training schedule,” she said, nodding at Ava.

“Yes, I can drive,” Ava replied.

“Good, I’ll reach out before you leave, and I'll find someone I could trust to fix this hole,” Mary said, gesturing at the wall. “Good luck,” she added to the neighbors. Ava saw the cop to her front gate and watched as the red tail lights of her car disappeared through the night.

“I think I’ll head back now, try to catch some sleep before we leave,” Beatrice said, approaching Ava at the front door as she returned to the house.

“Beatrice, I, I’m scared. Can you stay? I have several rooms here, I just don’t want to sit in this house alone,” Ava admitted.

Beatrice did not hesitate. “Of course, I’ll stay. I can sleep on the couch, no problem. I just have to get changed.” She made for the door. Ava took her hand to hold her back.

“No, you don’t have to. I think we’re the same size, you can borrow some of my clothes to sleep in, and there is a shower on this floor, you don’t have to go back to your house,” Ava pleaded.

“Okay,” Beatrice replied, squeezing Ava’s hand before letting go.

xxx

It was almost four in the morning, and Ava has not slept a wink. She sat at the top of the staircase, watching Beatrice’ sleeping form on the couch below. The shadow of the palm leaves as the moon dipped towards the horizon cast itself on her neighbor’s beautiful face. Beatrice was wearing Ava’s shirt from her acting school, and a pair of boxer shorts. Hearing her neighbor's even breathing calmed Ava as she made her decision.

She dialed her boyfriend. He picked up after two rings.

“JC, I might have to cancel next week and the week after that. I'm afraid I won’t be here when you return,” Ava said over the receiver.

“Did something happen, baby?” JC replied, concern in his voice.

“No, it’s just, Bobby accepted some commitments abroad for me, all confidential for now,” Ava lied.

“I understand that, honey, and I’m happy for you. I can’t say I’m not disappointed, though, I was really looking forward to seeing you,” JC replied. “Where are you headed?”

“Brazil, that’s all I can say,” Ava lied once more.

“I see, I hope I can at least see you when I come back from London,” JC replied.

“Of course, I’ll pencil you in right away,” Ava said. She heard her boyfriend chuckle from the other line.

“Alright, thanks for letting me know, I have to hang up now, I love you and I miss you,” JC said.

“I miss you, too,” Ava replied as she hung up the phone.

xxx

A man pulled open the door of a black sedan parked on the third floor of a twenty-four-hour parking building. He took the seat beside the man on the wheel. Blood has coagulated in the newcomer’s head, and his neck was swollen.

“Is it done?” a man sitting behind the driver spoke. The newcomer saw him through the rearview mirror. He was wearing his signature button-down black long sleeve shirt and a pair of glasses. He kept a full, graying beard.

“No, Padre Vicente,” the newcomer replied, panic in his voice. “I did not expect that there was another person in the room. She’s a trained fighter. She did this to me!” the man said, pointing at his injuries.

Padre Vicente smiled upon hearing the news. Through the rearview mirror, he gave his driver a nod.

The driver placed his huge hands around the newcomer’s head, twisting his neck. There was a loud snap inside the vehicle. The last thing Padre Vicente heard was the groan of the dying man as he stepped out of the car, a smile still on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and please don't forget to leave a comment so that I'll know how you're liking the story so far :)


	3. Changing Lanes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Beatrice begin their drive to North Dakota.

**_Three months ago_ **

_“It’s very generous of you to come and meet me here,” a man spoke. He was lounging at the couch of the penthouse of the Beverly Hills Hotel with a glass of whiskey in his hand. The man was in a white button-down shirt and his long raven hair was tied in a neat bun. “Please, take a sit. What’s your poison? Bourbon? Scotch?”_

_“Thank you, Adriel. I don’t really drink when I am about to make transactions, and I only drink from my own glass. I am sure you understand,” another man, this time dressed in a black button-down shirt replied as he took the seat adjacent to the couch. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, exposing his tattooed forearms. “This is a transaction, right? When you sent me a message about wanting to meet here in this hotel, I thought you had a change of preferences, if you know what I mean.”_

_“It’s good to know you have not lost your sense of humor, Vincent,” Adriel replied, smiling. He waved away a butler who had a bottle of scotch in hand. “This is indeed a transaction. I might need your help with a little trouble.”_

_“I’m interested to know what trouble you got yourself in,” Vincent replied, taking a cigar out of the case in his pocket and waving it in the air. One of the men Vincent brought with him to that meeting approached him immediately with a silver lighter._

_“Padre,” the man said as he lighted the end of the cigar. Adriel watched Vincent with an astonished look as the embers of the cigar grew orange after he took the first drag._

_“You still have your men call you that?” Adriel chuckled. “You’ve been out of the clergy for what, twenty years?”_

_“Force of habit,” Vincent said and paused, letting the pun sink in. Adriel guffawed, slapping the white couch with his hand as he laughed. “It’s a term of veneration. Helps keep my men in line, tell them who’s boss.”_

_“I can respect that,” Adriel finally said._

_“So, this little trouble of yours,” Vincent started, crossing his legs. “You do know I don’t dabble in human trafficking. Nothing against it, just not my area of business. I deal in gambling, some illegal firearms, and other adjacent activity, but that’s about it.”_

_“Would you consider a little kidnapping an adjacent activity?” Adriel inquired, gauging Vincent’s reaction._

_“For ransom?” Vincent replied, confused. As far as he knew, Adriel’s operation was too niche to even intersect with that type of crime._

_“For secrets,” Adriel replied, sliding a headshot of a woman on the glass coffee table across Vincent. The other man picked up the black and white photo to look at it more closely._

_“She’s your Little Mermaid? I took my kid to see this movie,” Vincent replied. “Why would you want me to kidnap one of your actresses?”_

_“She knows far too many things about what I do. She proposed to be my partner to lure girls my way but I think she's got cold feet and is up to something. I just want to scare her, find out exactly what she knows and with whom she is talking,” Adriel replied._

_“Why go through all that trouble? Why not just off her?” Vincent replied, putting the picture down._

_“I knew you would say that, but I still have other businesses to protect. Show business, particularly. Do you realize how much her last movie grossed? And people still want more. She is going to be a cash cow for at least ten more years. I can’t lose out on that,” Adriel explained as he took a sip of whiskey._

_“And you are asking me to kidnap her so you could distance yourself from the deed. Perfect. How exactly would you like me to undertake this task?” Vincent asked._

_“I don’t care. Get creative. Just don’t mess her face up. It’s worth a lot,” Adriel replied, winking._

_“Of course, I understand. I’ll send you a message,” Vincent said, standing up to shake Adriel’s hand._

xxx

It was already high noon when Mary arrived at the front gate of Ava’s Malibu manor. When she joined the force eight years ago, she certainly never expected that she would be ringing the door of a Hollywood A-lister to bring her a burner phone before said A-lister goes into hiding. A plan which, by the way, no one else in her department knew about. She also certainly never expected a UFC fighter in an oversized drama school shirt and a pair of boxers to be opening the door for her, but here she was.

“You went to AMDA?” Mary greeted Beatrice with an astonished look.

“What? I -" Beatrice started and then stared at her shirt. “Oh, the Academy of Musical and Dramatic Arts. This is Ava’s shirt, she had me borrow it.”

“You stayed the night?” Mary replied as they entered the house. Beatrice placed a finger in front of her lips.

“She’s still asleep on the couch, better let her rest before we leave,” Beatrice said as they crossed the hallway into the living room. Mary saw Ava dozing on the living room couch, one arm thrown across her eyes, and the other one dangling to the carpet below. 

“She asked me to stay, she was afraid to sit alone in this house after what happened last night. She was still awake when I woke up and did not want to sleep in her own room so I got her to sleep on the couch as I prepared breakfast,” Beatrice explained as she strutted to the kitchen with Mary trailing behind.

“I made her something filling,” Beatrice said, gesturing to a plate of steak and eggs on the breakfast island. She covered the plate with a sheet of cling wrap. “Do you want me to make something for you as well?”

“No, I’m fine, I grabbed something on the way here,” Mary said, waving a hand to decline the offer.

“Okay, well, I need to get back to my place because I haven’t packed. You better wake her up in a few minutes, she still needs to get ready. Please tell Ava to ring my phone when she’s ready to go, and I’ll bring the car to the front gate. Also, please tell her I’m borrowing her flip flops. When I jumped her wall in haste last night, I was barefoot. I don’t want to walk back to my house without footwear, the pavement is already hot,” Beatrice said. She started to turn away from Mary and the cop held her by the wrist.

“Wait, Beatrice,” Mary started. “You know I am only allowing this plan to push through because I have no other alternative, considering the time constraint. That, and you seem harmless.”

“Not to my opponents, I’m not,” Beatrice said, showing her right fist.

“That, too. I know you’ll keep her safe,” Mary replied. “Do you know how to work a gun?”

“I never had to,” Beatrice replied. “But yes, I do know my way around pistols.”

“Good, you take this,” Mary said, placing a Glock 23 down on the breakfast island. Beatrice picked it up, sliding the magazine out before inspecting the barrel. 

“You seem to know how to handle it safely,” Mary commented.

“I told you I know my way around,” Beatrice replied. She twirled the trigger guard around her finger before placing the gun’s muzzle inside the waistband of her shorts and the magazine in her pocket. She concealed both with the hem of her shirt.

“I hope you know what this implies. You are willingly putting yourself in danger, and for what?” Mary asked, searching Beatrice’ eyes.

“I thought you wanted to keep her safe,” Beatrice replied.

“I do. Of course. But that’s my job. Why do you?” Mary asked.

“That’s really not a question for me, I can’t leave a woman behind when I know something bad might happen to her,” Beatrice replied.

“I just want you to know, I thank you for doing this, but I’m still watching you,” Mary gave a fair warning.

“As you should,” Beatrice replied, shrugging. “Can I leave now? I still have to secure my house.” Mary nodded, tapping Beatrice on one shoulder.

“I’ll wake her up, you go,” Mary said. “Thank you for doing this, Beatrice.”

Beatrice smiled before padding down the hallway and into the front door of the house. The cop heard the front door squeak open and then gently shut. She walked to the living room and began assessing the damage to the glass wall panel. The cop had been at it for at least ten minutes when Ava began stirring in her sleep.

“Beatrice?” a half-awake Ava said. She sat up using her right arm to look around the living room. “Beatrice?”

“She just left, she still has to pack and prepare,” Mary said. “My repair guy is arriving in twenty minutes to look at your wall so you better eat now so you could hide in your room and get ready as he inspects the damage.”

Ava rubbed her eyes as she followed Mary to the kitchen.

“Beatrice made this for you, you want me to pop it in the microwave?” Mary asked, holding the plate of steak and eggs. 

“No, I’ll eat it exactly as Beatrice made it,” Ava replied. Her neighbor has never failed to feed her since last night. Granted that the food came from her pantry, but still. She never expected to wake up to a plateful of her favorite breakfast meal. She remembered how Beatrice casually asked her just before she went to sleep what her ideal breakfast would be. Ava responded by telling her that if she was not on any kind of diet for filming, it would be steak and eggs, plain and simple.

This must be the reason she asked. Beatrice has so far put a lot of thought into taking care of Ava, and they haven’t even left Malibu for North Dakota. In between mouthfuls of scrambled egg, Ava glanced at the only other person trying to protect her.

“Mary, have you informed Mother Superion about our plan?” Ava asked.

Mary shook her head in response. “I called the guy who was supposed to fix your security cameras. He told me that Superion asked him to postpone it to next week. Then someone breaks into your house at the same time? Maybe I just don’t want to believe it because she is my mentor but I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“So you’re sticking your neck out in your job for me,” Ava replied. ‘Fuck,’ she thought. Here are two almost strangers placing their lives at risk because of her and she was not even sure if she wanted to be the hero.

“My question is, why?” Ava started. “Why _Mother Superion_. Of all the mean nicknames you could have given her, why something that specific?”

Mary rolled her eyes. “Are you seriously thinking about that now?” When Ava gave her a shit-eating grin, she sighed and said, “It’s not entirely random. Mother Superion used to be an actual nun, some twenty years ago. She never went that far up in the ranks because she left the convent to join the force, but you get the drift.”

“Interesting,” Ava replied, now stuffing her mouth with steak.

“Listen, about Beatrice,” Mary started. This got Ava’s attention who swallowed the food in her mouth in one big gulp.

“I tried to do a background check, I couldn’t find anything on her before she started as an amateur MMA fighter when she was eighteen,” Mary said.

“Is that…weird?” Ava asked, knitting her forehead in confusion.

“She’s twenty-three years old, practically grew up in the internet age, it’s just irregular for her not to leave footprints all over,” Mary said.

“My boyfriend photographed her for Sports Illustrated, said that she was very private and reserved. Have you tried looking at articles?” Ava suggested.

“Listen, this is not really a cause for concern, just caution. Maybe I just did not have enough time to find anything. Just watch yourself and what you say around her, okay? The matters of the case are still confidential,” Mary warned.

Ava cleared her throat. If she could spare Mary some honesty, now was the perfect time. 

“Mary I-” Ava started. “I’m only coming with Beatrice to keep myself safe. I’m still backing out from becoming a state witness.”

Mary’s grip on the edges of the breakfast island tightened. It took a few moments for her to speak once again.

“Ava, you know how many women depend on you? Child actors, like you were once, young actresses with dreams, how can you turn your back on them?” Mary asked. There was disappointment in her voice and Ava immediately felt the guilt crippling her stomach.

“I’m not a hero, Mary. What if they don’t believe me? If no justice comes out of this, what will happen to me? I’ve seen it happen to others, what you’re asking me to do is not easy,” Ava explained as she brought her finished plate to the sink to wash it. “I’ve only just started, Mary. I had one movie!”

“You know I cannot officially protect you if you won’t turn witness. And that’s why you agreed to go with Beatrice, because you know she will,” Mary concluded. Ava cast her eyes down.

“I told you my gut feels like Beatrice’ heart is in the right place. I think it’s because she is willing to protect you knowing that you are doing the right thing. You best be honest with her if she’s putting her life in danger for you,” Mary said.

“I still have until the end of the month to think about it. Maybe this retreat will help me be the person you want me to become,” Ava replied, as she dried the plate with a dishtowel.

“It’s a training camp, not a retreat. Don’t go bothering Beatrice more than you already have,” Mary said.

“I thought you didn’t trust her?” Ava asked.

“I wouldn’t get on board this plan if I didn’t,” Mary replied. “But still, it’s good to have this.”

Mary placed another Glock 23 down on the countertop beside the sink. “Keep this to yourself, know how to use it?”

“Yes, I had to learn how to handle guns believably for this TV guesting I did months ago,” Ava said, taking a feel of the pistol. Like Beatrice, she removed the magazine of the gun before inspecting the barrel. “Caveat, I didn’t do that well in the training.”

“Well, you better pray you don’t have to use it,” and then looking at the direction of Ava’s neighbor’s house, “Beatrice says she knows her way around guns. I gave her a piece, too, but she doesn’t know about yours so keep it that way.”

“So you don’t trust her,” Ava pried.

Mary sighed. “Baby girl, if you work this job, you are allowed to be a little more paranoid.”

“You called me baby girl. You like me,” Ava said, grinning with the realization. Mary rolled her eyes once more.

“Shut up and take this as well,” Mary replied, handing Ava a flip phone. “That is your burner phone. Remember what I told you. Any whiff of irregularity and you call me. And don’t tell Beatrice about this, either.”

“Yes sir,” Ava replied. 

“And leave your actual phone here, we can’t have them tracking you to where you are,” Mary said.

“Must I? What will I do up in the mountains without a phone?” Ava replied.

“Ava, you don’t even know if you will have wifi up in the camp. I’m guessing it’s not their top priority, with all the secrecy around the training,” Mary gave a rare smile upon seeing the shocked look on Ava’s face. “But it’s 2020, there’s got to be cellular reception.” Ava groaned as she pocketed the phone. 

“I’m gonna go up to take a shower and get ready,” Ava said, pointing a thumb to the stairs.

“Good, my repair guy is just around the corner,” Mary replied, checking her phone. 

“Hey, Mary,” Ava turned just as she was about to step out of the kitchen. She regarded the cop with grateful eyes and walked back to her to take her hand.

“I want to thank you for all that you are doing for me, even though I am not exactly the perfect, cooperative witness that you deserve,” Ava said. “That all those victims deserve,” she added, admitting it. “I am truly going to think about it. I just need a little more time away from all this,” she said, gesturing to the hole in the wall.

“I told you my gut has never failed me. I know you will do the right thing,” Mary nodded. “Now go, my guy is very close,” Mary said as she checked her phone for messages.

Ava gave Mary a smile before leaving the kitchen for her room upstairs. Once she was inside her room, Ava turned on the burner phone and copied two numbers from her smartphone’s contacts: JC’s and that of his best friend, Bryan.

The actress had no friends of her own. She used to be close friends with the other cast members of her sitcom growing up, but they haven’t kept in touch since she moved out of California in her teens. She felt lucky to have been adopted by her boyfriend’s group of friends. They were cool people and always took care of her whenever JC was out of the country, particularly Bryan. He lived in Las Vegas just outside the Strip. 

She called Bryan on the burner phone.

“Bryan. Who’s this?” the guy picked up after two rings.

“Hey, Bry, this is Ava,” the actress replied.

“Ava, what’s up? New number?” Bryan replied.

“I’m just using this, for now. Listen, are you busy?” Ava asked.

“No, I’m just at home, hanging out, what’s wrong?” Bryan said.

“Listen, I might be in Vegas in around five hours, I’m not sure if someone will be there to meet me. Can I text you to pick me up just in case?” Ava asked.

“Of course, I’m just at home. Just tell me where and I’ll come to get you,” Bryan replied.

“Thanks, Bryan,” Ava said. It was in her best interest to have a contingency plan.

xxx

  
It was a quarter to four in the afternoon when Ava called Beatrice to tell her she was ready to go. She turned off her smartphone and was about to put it inside the drawer of her bedside desk when she thought about sending a quick ‘ _I love you, see you soon._ ’ text to her boyfriend. When that task was done, Ava hid her phone in the drawer and began dragging her suitcase out of her room and into the carpeted hallway. Mary rushed to her when she saw the actress at the top of the stairs.

“Need help?” Mary asked as she helped lift the heavy Louis Vuitton suitcase. “Oooh, fancy,” she added.

“Thanks,” Ava said, swinging her leather backpack in both arms now that her other hand was free.

“What’s in there? I hope you did not bring any other electronics,” Mary said.

“I left my phone in my room. I just brought my kindle, it’s an old model, it should be safe,” Ava said, and when Mary was silent, “Please.”

“Fine, just that one and your burner phone,” Mary replied.

“It’s right here,” Ava tapped the front pocket of her jeans.

The actress stepped into the living room and saw that the hole in one of the glass panel walls was now covered with brown manila paper.

“That’s the best your guy could do?” Ava joked and Mary rolled her eyes.

“He did measurements and assessment of the material. He said he’ll come back in two days. I’ll be here to watch,” Mary replied.

“I’ll leave you the keys to the house. You can live here for a while if you want,” Ava offered. “Mi casa es su casa.”

“And get shot in my sleep? No thanks. I’ll drop by from time to time to turn the lights on so no one suspects that you’ve been away for a long time,” Mary replied. “What did you tell your boyfriend?”

“That I have engagements in Brazil,” Ava sighed. She hated lying. “He was supposed to be here next week.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s for the best,” Mary sympathized. "And what about your agent?"

"That I'm going away on a yoga retreat in Brazil and won't be doing any guestings until I return. You can say he's pissed as fuck but I'm currently his biggest client so there's nothing he can do about it. This is about as primadonna as I could be," Ava replied.

The bell at the front gate of the house rang through the living room. 

“I’ll get it,” Mary said. The cop walked to the hallway leading to the front door as Ava dragged her suitcase behind her.

Through the open door, Ava saw Beatrice standing behind her wrought iron front gate in a brown leather jacket, a black top, and a pair of white skinny jeans. Her dark hair was tied neatly in a bun and on her pretty face sat a pair of round eyeglasses. Beatrice couldn’t have dressed any simpler for a long drive, but air left Ava’s lungs at the sight. The actress had not yet considered bisexuality for herself, but at that moment, she knew she would never get tired of looking at the fine sight that was her neighbor. 

‘If ever she considers a career in showbiz, she might give me a run for my money,’ Ava thought as she dragged her suitcase to the front door. Mary opened the front gate to reveal a powder blue three-door Wrangler.

“Sexy whip,” Ava said as Beatrice opened the backdoor of the car. She took Ava’s suitcase and lifted it to the back of the vehicle without effort.

“Thanks, I’ve had her for about a month. This will be her first long drive,” Beatrice replied.

“You have bad eyesight?” Ava asked, pointing at the glasses. 

“Yes, since I was five or six,” Beatrice replied. “I wear contacts during training, but this is a long trip and I don’t think my eyes could take the strain. Didn’t you, uh, lend me a contact lens case last night?”

“Oh, yeah, I did, of course! How could I have forgotten! You look really cute with your glasses on,” Ava said before she could stop herself. She felt stupid. She’s not really known for processing thoughts before they come out of her mouth. And how could she have forgotten such a detail? Maybe seeing Beatrice look so adorable with her glasses on wiped out her memories.

“Umm, thanks?” Beatrice replied, unsure. 

“Have a safe trip,” Mary said, interrupting the conversation. Ava gave the cop a bear hug which came as a surprise for Mary that she did not know where to put her hands at first. She settled on tapping the actress’ back before letting go.

“Take care of yourself,” she said to Ava. She then turned to Beatrice with a warning tone, “take care of her.”

The fighter merely nodded with her hands inside the pockets of her jeans. 

“Let’s go, I still want to catch some of the daylight left,” Beatrice remarked. 

“You’re driving first?” Ava asked. 

“Yes,” Beatrice said, slapping Ava’s arm lightly before taking the driver’s seat. The actress stood dumbfounded, staring at the spot on her arm where Beatrice touched her that was still buzzing from the contact. 

“You coming?” the fighter rolled down the window when Ava did not take a step from where she stood.

“Yup, be right there,” Ava said, walking to the passenger’s side of the car. Ava stepped into the SUV to slide into the seat beside Beatrice. 

“Ready?” Beatrice smiled and Ava nodded. The actress tried to put on her seat belt but the strap would not budge.

“Sorry,” Beatrice said, turning to Ava. “This one is kind of stiff, you see, I usually ride alone, so no-one is using this,” she explained, moving her body across Ava’s to take care of the seat belt. 

The actress felt the heat of her neighbor’s body occupy her personal space, her front just barely brushing Ava's with enough force to make her skin tingle. Beatrice’ scent invaded the actress' nostrils and she caught a whiff of cinnamon and, comfort?

“You just have to pull it from this angle,” Beatrice pulled the strap across Ava’s torso and buckled the seat belt for her.

“There you go,” Beatrice smiled, buckling her own seat belt before starting the engine of the car. Ava released the breath that she didn’t know she was holding and sighed. 

“What’s that, your perfume?” the actress asked as the scent slowly left the space around her. 

“Huh?” Beatrice asked, puzzled. “I don’t really put on any, strong scents give me migraines.”

“Must be your soap,” Ava replied.

“My soap?” Beatrice laughed. It was the first time the actress saw her neighbor do that. “Why the interest in my hygiene?”

“It’s just, that scent, I can’t quite place it,” Ava said, twirling a finger around. 

“Is it, is it bad?” Beatrice asked with a worried look on her face. She was about to smell her own shirt when Ava held her wrist to stop her.

“No, it’s just uniquely...you,” Ava said, quickly letting go of her neighbor’s hand.

“Shouldn’t you be on the road by now?” Mary asked from outside Beatrice’ open window with that look of impatience forever etched on her face.

“We’re leaving, bye Mary, take care of my house,” Ava said, leaning into Beatrice to face the cop. Once more, the actress caught a whiff of that enthralling scent.

“Drive safe,” Mary said pointedly at Beatrice.

“You know I will,” the fighter nodded as she rolled up her window. She put the car on drive mode and started on their long journey. 

The pair cruised for a while in companionable silence. Beatrice turned over the command of her phone to Ava so that the actress, who left her own smartphone behind, could DJ. Ava was still scrolling through playlists when they merged into the I-15 traffic. That was when Beatrice first spoke.

“There’s a cooler near your feet, you'll find some bottles of water and Snapple. I also prepared some sandwiches for when you get really hungry. I don’t think I want to stop anywhere to have dinner,” Beatrice said. “That black canvas bag behind your seat has our snacks, chips, cookies, and candy.”

“Are you always like this?” Ava asked.

“What do you mean?” Beatrice replied.

“Always thinking everything through? You always seem to know what to do in every situation,” Ava said, amused at her companion.

“I guess, pretty much. I know you don’t follow MMA so let me give you a little background. I’m not really known for strength or speed. What I am known for, and what makes me win, is that I am always two steps ahead of my opponent. I can always predict what they are about to do and respond appropriately,” Beatrice replied. “So, yes, in a way, maybe I always think everything through.”

“Hmmm, now I know one more thing about you,” Ava said, smiling. “I would love to watch your fights.”

“Oh, you will, up in the camp. There are scheduled sparring sessions,” Beatrice replied.

Suddenly, Mary’s voice was in Ava’s head, telling her off.

_‘You best be honest with her if she’s putting her life in danger for you.’_

The fighter drove on for a few more minutes before Ava spoke again.

“Beatrice, I’m not sure if I am going to your camp,” the actress said. 

“What do you mean?” Beatrice asked, confused.

“I mean -” Ava sighed. “I mean, I might have other plans, I just might ask you to drop me off somewhere on your way to North Dakota.”

“And catch heat from Mary?” Beatrice said with a slight edge on her voice. 

“Beatrice, even you have to admit, this plan is ridiculous, I won’t put you in danger just so I could hide from whoever is trying to harm me,” Ava replied. Beatrice was silent for a few moments.

“Don’t make this about me, Ava, we both know this is not,” Beatrice replied, coldly. 

“What does that mean?” Ava asked, hurt.

“It means we both know that you are thoughtless and self-centered. This is not you being concerned about me, at all,” Beatrice replied.

“Of course I am worried about you!” Ava exclaimed. “You saved my life twice, you always knew how to take care of me, and I haven’t done anything to repay you yet.”

“This is not repaying me, Ava,” Beatrice replied. “If I drop you off somewhere, I would worry all the time about you. Did you forget that armed men are hunting you? Not just that, I would have to drive alone for hours and hours if you leave me.”

“But that’s just me. That’s nothing compared to all the people who would not be able to get the justice they deserve because you refuse to take the stand,” the fighter added.

“I’ve already had this talk with Mary, I didn’t know I would get the same from you,” Ava replied. She had always expected these words to come from the cop that when they did, it no longer affected Ava that much. What the actress was not prepared for was the ache she felt in her heart hearing her neighbor's disappointed voice.

“I’m sorry,” Beatrice said with a calmer voice. “You’re an adult. Neither Mary nor myself should be telling you what to do. But I’m not dropping you off anywhere without telling her.”

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to. I’m coming with you,” Ava replied just to diffuse the situation. She saw Beatrice’ shoulders relax.

"That's good to hear. Let us just forget this conversation ever took place, okay?" Beatrice said, adding a smile in Ava's direction. The actress could not help but smile back in return despite the guilt in her stomach.

“Just curious, do you have a plan in case I drop you off somewhere?” Beatrice asked.

“They are going to file the case by the end of the month. I’m thinking of riding it out,” Ava replied.

“You are going to hide from Mary as well?” Beatrice asked with disbelief in her voice. 

“I was. Now I’m not, okay? I’m coming with you to the camp,” Ava said. “I’m sorry for even bringing that up.”

“Okay,” Beatrice said, once again giving her a light tap on the arm. Ava closed her eyes, savoring the touch. Catching herself, she took hold once more of Beatrice’ phone to search for a playlist.

“Want me to place some music?” the actress asked.

“Sure, let me take a listen to what you like,” Beatrice said. 

“No, I want to listen to what you like,” Ava said, scrolling through Beatrice’ recents. “I don’t know that much about you.”

Through playlists of medieval lute music and Celtic songs, Ava recognized an album of the indie German band the Notwist. Beatrice’ taste in music was pretty much like her, mysterious. The actress couldn’t piece together a picture of the woman just by looking at what songs she liked.

She put on The Notwist, and the familiar drumbeat of the opening notes of Kong blared through the car’s stereo. Ava saw Beatrice tap to the rhythm with her fingers on the steering wheel. She might have even seen her neighbor’s head nod ever so slightly. 

‘Is this her having fun?’ Ava thought.

“Mary did not find that much about your life before you became an MMA fighter,” Ava said, shouting through the speakers. Beatrice turned the volume down a bit. 

“She probably won’t, I only came to America when I was eighteen,” Beatrice replied. 

“You didn’t grow up here?” Ava replied.

“No, I was sponsored. The man who owns my team, he is always on the lookout for new talent around the globe. He discovered me and sponsored my visa so I could train and fight here,” Beatrice replied.

“But your English…” Ava said before catching herself. “I’m sorry, was that racist? Of course, that was racist. I can’t stop saying dumb things, I’m sorry.”

“I studied in an international school. Most of my classmates were children of expatriates. My parents were wealthy and they did not approve of me being here at all. Said that fighting was not for women. We don’t talk anymore,” Beatrice narrated. “I got into underground fight clubs when I was fourteen. I masked my injuries from my parents by joining team sports in school. My parents disowned me for coming here, their last act was to give their consent to the visa application process and told me not to bother them for the rest of their lives. I’ve never heard from them ever since.”

“I’m sorry about that, Beatrice,” Ava replied. “I guess welcome to the orphan club? My parents died when I was a teen, and I have no family left. That is why I’m living alone.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Beatrice said with concern in her voice. 

“Eh, it’s been years. I learned how to raise myself,” Ava replied, once again swaying to the music.

“And look how good you turned out. They would have been very proud,” Beatrice said, smiling at Ava before once again turning her eyes on the road.

“You really think that?” Ava asked but Beatrice merely nodded. The woman drove once more in silence, giving the actress the chance to observe her in her natural element. Ava sank into her seat, stealing glances at Beatrice once in a while. Her strong hands were firmly planted on the wheel at a 10:10 position, and every maneuver and turn was carefully calculated whenever she changed lanes. Beatrice sat upright, too upright in Ava’s opinion. She wondered how the girl could last driving for hours being this tense. The actress noticed how tightly she gripped the wheel like she was holding on for dear life. 

Without realizing what she was doing, Ava took Beatrice’ right wrist. The fighter flinched instinctively at the touch but allowed Ava to remove her hand from the wheel. The actress smoothed her index finger over the veins of her neighbor’s hand and noticed the callouses on her knuckles and palm.

“Do these hurt?” Ava said, touching the knuckles lightly. 

“No, they’re not supposed to hurt once they’ve healed. They’re supposed to help numb the pain of a strong punch,” Beatrice replied.

“And these ones?” Ava said, turning her neighbor’s hand over so that the palm faced her as she touched the callouses near the base of her fingers.

“You get those from gripping the knurlings of a barbell. You actually want to maintain those as they help you have a better grip,” Beatrice replied. 

Upon hearing Beatrice talk about these things so casually, Ava couldn’t help but wonder what sort of other scars and injuries Beatrice has endured throughout her career. The thought of her neighbor in pain unsettled the actress’ stomach.

If Beatrice minds the slightest that Ava was inspecting her hand, she made no mention of it. When the actress was done, she placed the hand gently on her own lap. It was warm and rested with slight pressure against her leg. Beatrice seemed to loosen up a bit now that only one of her hands was on the wheel. Satisfied that the fighter now drove more relaxed, Ava rested her forehead against the window to look at the passing scenery, the notes of a Notwist song still buzzing in the background.

Ava must have fallen asleep with her head tilted forward because there was a soreness in her nape. She felt Beatrice’ fingers easing through her scalp to fix her head in a less painful position on the headrest.

“What time is it?” Ava said, stifling a yawn.

“It’s 7:30 PM,” Beatrice answered. “You hungry? I made salami, chicken salad, and tuna sandwich.”

Ava’s stomach grumbled. “Oops, sorry. There’s your answer.”

“Help yourself to the cooler. You haven’t drank water in a while, too. You should not forget to hydrate,” Beatrice said.

“And risk having to go to the bathroom?” Ava replied.

“Ava, we can always stop to go to the bathroom. That would take fifteen minutes tops,” Beatrice said.

“Okay, but how about you? You have not eaten,” Ava replied as she opened the cooler. She saw several water bottles as well as peach and raspberry Snapple, and different sandwiches wrapped in bags. She picked a sandwich labeled salami.

“It’s okay, you can eat first and then help me later,” Beatrice said.

“You label your sandwiches?” Ava asked, amused as she unwrapped her salami sandwich.

“You can keep teasing me, but you still didn’t have to check inside each bag to know which sandwich you liked,” Beatrice replied with a smile.

“You think I tease you, huh?” Ava replied, smiling with her neighbor. 

“Yes, you bully, good thing I know how to fight back,” Beatrice replied.

“Oh, so we’re making jokes now? You have to up your game, miss featherweight,” Ava replied, bumping Beatrice’ arm lightly with her fist.

“Flyweight,” Beatrice corrected, shaking her head as she smiled. Ava took a bite of her sandwich. The first mouthful felt like a complete meal in itself. There were cucumber and lettuce to add crunch to the bite. She tasted a hint of miso and wasabi within the mayonnaise that bound the ingredients together, and lying gobsmack in between two slices of Wonder Bread was a generous helping of salami.

“Damn, did you make this yourself? This is the best sandwich I’ve ever had!” Ava exclaimed.

“Yes, I do prepare my own meals when I’m not in camp. You see, macro counting and all,” Beatrice replied. “You like the dressing?”

“Yup, what’s in it?” Ava said, licking her lips.

“That is kewpie sauce, a little miso paste, and a dash of wasabi,” Beatrice replied. 

“I figured,” Ava said. The actress finished her sandwich, savoring each bite before cleaning her hands with Purell. She then dug back into the cooler to find Beatrice a sandwich.

“Oh, tuna for me, thanks,” Beatrice said as she drove. She reached out for the sandwich as she heard it being unwrapped. She was met with Ava’s hand on a smaller piece of the sandwich hovering in front of her mouth.

“Are you seriously going to feed me?” Beatrice asked.

“Umm, yes? So you can drive while eating,” Ava replied. “Come on, my hands are clean.”

“Fine,” Beatrice replied, seemingly not knowing what else to do. She opened her mouth as Ava fed her with pieces of the tuna sandwich one by one.

“Water?” Ava asked, and Beatrice nodded. The actress unscrewed a bottle of water to offer it to Beatrice.

“Of all the times you’ve seen me eat, this is the first time I’m seeing you,” Ava said. 

“Ava, you’ve known me for two days. You’ll see lots of me until the end of the month, I’m sure you’d get tired of me,” Beatrice said. 

“I don’t know about that,” Ava replied, she shifted in her seat and handed Beatrice a paper towel to wipe her face with. With both stomachs full, they drove once more in silence.

Ava contemplated what Beatrice said as her burner phone vibrated inside her pocket. She bit her nails. The actress had a decision to make, and she has to make it soon. She knew what she wanted to do when she called Bryan back at her house, yet the prospect of seeing lots of Beatrice made it hard for Ava to go through with her plan B. That, and the fact that if she runs away from the fighter, she would have lied to her neighbor about going to the camp with her. Beatrice had already called her thoughtless and self-centered, and both had hurt Ava although she knew them to be true. She did not want to add _dishonest_ to her neighbor's list of ill opinions about her.

“Beatrice, we’re nearing Nevada, aren’t we?” Ava asked. Beatrice looked at the navigation app of her car.

“About two hours, why?” Beatrice asked.

“I think I want to stop to pee in Vegas,” Ava replied.

“You want to pee in Vegas?” Beatrice confirmed, astonished. 

“Yeah, I, uh, have a pee schedule,” Ava replied. 

“Okay then, check on Google where we could stop,” Beatrice said. 

“There’s this one, Terrible’s Roadhouse, in Jean,” Ava replied. “It’s on I-15, a really big gas station.”

“Okay, then we won’t miss it,” Beatrice replied.

The phone in Ava’s pocket buzzed once more. 

“What’s that sound?” Beatrice asked. 

“Nothing, I didn’t hear anything,” Ava replied, rather too eagerly. The actress rested her forehead on the window as she bit her nails. 

“Hey, you’re fidgeting. We can always stop at the next gas station if you need to go to the bathroom that badly,” Beatrice said.

“No!” Ava said a little too loudly. “Sorry, just, the one in Jean is fine.” 

The actress placed her hand in her pocket to stop the nail-biting. She checked the time. It was an hour and forty-five minutes to Jean. Not a lot of time to ponder on her contingency plan, not when she felt a bit closer to Beatrice. Every second she spends with the woman makes it harder for Ava to try and leave. She was sure that her neighbor was going to hate her forever with what she was about to do, but Vegas was her last chance. Ava didn’t know anyone else who lived further north.

Ava could feel Beatrice, who had up until that point been a careful and steady driver, stepping on the gas. She probably really thinks that the actress needed to pee so badly. At this point, they might even make it to the gas station in an hour and thirty. The actress felt another gush of affection, and then guilt, at yet another showing of Beatrice’ thoughtfulness.

‘Goddamnit,’ Ava chastised herself. It’s always been flight, not fight, for her. She wouldn’t try to be a person she knew she was not born to be. Her whole life, Ava was used to cutting and cutting cleanly with no regrets. She tried to pin the uncertainty she now felt on her gratitude at Beatrice saving her life twice and derailing her training in order to protect her one more time. Yet she would be kidding herself if she didn’t admit it was more than that. She still wanted to see Beatrice fight, wanted to see how that cute face of hers would look like when she is concentrating during training. She wanted to learn if Beatrice could sing, or if she could do other things with those gorgeous hands of hers other than throw a punch and make a mean sandwich. Ava wanted to know what would make Beatrice laugh, and cry, and smile. None of these are going to happen if she leaves.

Ava felt like there was a chance that Beatrice could be her first true friend, a friend that she has made on her own, in years. That chance was slowly slipping away as they neared Jean, Nevada. Whatever relationship was budding in between the two would not stand this betrayal, Ava was sure of it. To a braver person, Beatrice would have been worth it, but the actress knew her limits. She came to Hollywood to play a hero, not to be one in real life.

Beatrice changed lanes and followed the sign that said _Jean, Nevada_. Ava saw the big Chevron gas station looming on the southbound side of the I-15. 

“Is that it?” Beatrice asked, pointing to the infrastructure in the middle of the desert.

“I think so,” Ava said, looking at the navigation app. The phone in her pocket buzzed once more.

Beatrice exited the interstate freeway and made a left turn to the southbound side, heading to the biggest gas station Ava has ever seen. Her neighbor entered the station and made her way to one of the pumps nearest the Terrible’s Convenience Store.

“You go, I need to fill her up anyway. I’ll be parked over there once you’re done,” Beatrice said, pointing at the parking lot beside the convenience store.

Ava got off the car at the same time Beatrice did. She saw her neighbor stretch her spine as soon as her foot hit the ground. There were grace and precision even with that small movement.

“Let me just get my backpack,” Ava said, reaching for the backdoor of the Wrangler.

“Why would you need to bring so many things to go to the bathroom?” Beatrice asked, jogging in place beside Ava.

“I just want a change of clothes, to freshen up. We’ve been on the road for what, five hours?” Ava replied. Beatrice nodded as Ava swung her backpack on her left shoulder.

“You’re not seriously going in there looking like that?” Beatrice said. Ava knitted her brows.

“Why, what’s wrong with how I look?” she asked.

“Ava, you have one of the most recognizable faces in the world,” Beatrice said. “Here, let me -” she opened the zipper of one of her duffel bags and retrieved a brown bucket hat and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

“Put these on,” Beatrice said. Ava took the hat and the glasses and began putting them on. She had been stuck in Malibu for months after the press for her last movie died down that she almost forgot celebrity culture existed.

“How do I look?” Ava said, tilting her head up at Beatrice with a wide smile.

“Still beautiful,” Beatrice replied.

‘Oh,’ Ava thought. She could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks that she was grateful for the oversized sunglasses. Growing up, Ava had always known that she was a looker that it was easy to brush aside the compliments. It was different when the compliment came from another looker such as Beatrice, herself. 

She awkwardly punched the fighter’s shoulder. “I gotta go, I should take ten minutes, tops.”

“Okay, I’ll see you, then,” Beatrice replied as she walked to one of the pumps.

Once inside the convenience store, Ava took one last look behind her to make sure she was not being followed. She hid behind the snack aisle and took out her burner phone to dial Bryan.

“Hey, I’ve been texting,” Bryan picked up on the first ring.

“Yes, I couldn’t really answer a while ago,” Ava replied over the receiver.

“Is everything okay?” Bryan asked, concern in his voice.

“Yes, listen, how long until you could get to Terrible’s Roadhouse in Jean? I’m here right now,” Ava said.

“I could get there in twenty minutes,” Bryan replied. 

“Okay, can we meet at a spot furthest away from the convenience store? I’ll wait for you there,” Ava said.

“Sure but, Ava, you’re scaring me,” Bryan said.

“I’ll tell you everything later, there’s no time to explain,” Ava replied. She flipped the phone shut and took stock of her surroundings. 

Twenty minutes. Beatrice would surely get suspicious after fifteen. Thankfully, the gas station was a huge place with plenty of spots to hide. The actress decided to make the most out of her waiting time to go use the bathroom. Her eyes went wide when she discovered that there were 60 bathroom stalls in that store. Ava took her time choosing a stall to do her business in. When that was done, she went over to one of the sinks to wash her hands and splash her face with water. She then took a hotel dental kit from her bag and brushed her teeth.

Ava still had ten minutes left until Bryan arrives. She walked to the front door of the convenience store and tried to spy Beatrice’ car from inside. It was parked very near the entrance of the store, but Beatrice was in the driver’s seat fiddling with her phone. She decided to make a run for it.

The actress sprinted out of the door and to the other side of the convenience store that was hidden from the view of anyone in the parking lot. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath, looking over the corner to see whether Beatrice has noticed anything. The fighter was still on her phone.

She waited by the wall for ten more minutes before taking out her burner.

“Bryan, are you very near?” Ava asked through the receiver.

“I’m five minutes away according to Waze,” Bryan responded.

“Okay, I’m going to walk now to the far end of the gas station. The area is very dark and looks like it's still under construction,” Ava said.

“Ava, please stay in a well-lit place, it’s the middle of the night,” Bryan replied.

“I can’t. I’ll explain later, I’m walking now, just floor it, okay?” Ava said before flipping the phone shut. She hugged her own body as she began walking to the south end of the gas station. The harsh desert winds began seeping through her bones. Clearly, she had not prepared enough for this plan of hers. Ava's thoughts flew to Beatrice, who would have been ready with a coat and a scarf for her. The woman always thought things out, always knew what to do.

She had been standing at the same gravelly spot for at least seven minutes according to her wristwatch, and Bryan was nowhere to be found. The actress was about to take her phone out of her pocket when she felt strong, rough fingers cover her mouth as she was lifted off the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little painstaking to write. I had to cut the road trip chapter in two to balance the length of the chapters. I appreciate any and all comments. Thanks again for reading!


	4. Growing Fond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava and Beatrice continue on their way to North Dakota

Ava desperately kicked the air as her legs were lifted off the ground. The man who was holding her now looked similar to those who stalked her yesterday, and the one who broke into her home early this morning. He was twice her size and was wearing black. The hand around her mouth tightened the more she struggled to make a sound, and the strong, muscled arm around her waist dug deeper into her ribs.

She could see from her periphery that she was being carried off towards a car parked in the far corner of the gasoline station. That area was dark and unfinished, the only light that illuminated the place came from the cars traversing through the freeway. Mounds of gravel riddled the unpaved floor, and cranes and tractors were parked near the excavated pits. It was the perfect spot to carry out her plan to run away from Beatrice. Yet with no other person around for yards and yards and in the middle of the night, it was also the perfect spot to get kidnapped. Ava felt tears start to sting her eyes as she struggled to free herself.

She thought this was it. Her stupidity, which has until that point been funny and cute, would now kill her. Ava thought of Mary, who was risking her job for her safety. She thought of JC, who probably thinks she was just doing interviews in Brazil, and Bryan, who should have been here two minutes ago and would definitely worry about her not showing up. She thought of Beatrice, who took care of her and trusted her, and to whom she lied.

Beatrice, who was now sprinting towards her.

Ava couldn’t believe her eyes, the person she was just thinking about was now dashing from the direction of the convenience store to the dark area of the gasoline station, dust trailing her track. The actress bit down on the hand covering her mouth, and hard. The man groaned and let go of Ava’s face, but his other arm was still around her waist.

“BEATRICE!!! BEATRICE!!!” the actress screamed. She felt the man try to make a run for his car with Ava in his arms, but Beatrice was lighter, unburdened, and was therefore quicker. In no time, she stood in front of Ava and her kidnapper, her eyes spelling murder in a way the actress has never seen. The fighter wasted no moment.

“Head down,” she instructed Ava. The actress ducked to create an opening and Beatrice delivered a roundhouse kick to the man’s left ear. He groaned and touched his ear, letting go of Ava in the process. The actress rolled on the unpaved spot and scrambled to get behind Beatrice. She saw the man struggle to stand straight as he fumbled for something hidden in his waistband. Ava saw the fingers of the man close around the grip of a half-hidden gun, but as soon as he was able to pull the barrel out, another kick from Beatrice sent the pistol flying in Ava’s direction.

The man stood up to his full height, putting his fists in front of him to square up against Beatrice. He delivered a left hook, but Beatrice dodged the blow to connect with a neck chop that sent the man gagging. The two exchanged fists and kicks. The man who just tried to kidnap the actress was so far the most experienced fighter that she has ever seen go up against her neighbor. It did not help that he was twice Beatrice' size and that she did not have the benefit of stealth. The fighter took a punch on her right cheek and Ava felt it on her own.

‘When I said I wanted to see Beatrice fight, I didn’t mean it like this,’ Ava thought. She crouched on the ground, feeling the dirt for the gun that came flying her way a while ago. She looked up as she found the weapon and saw that Beatrice had the man pinned down on his back. The fighter delivered a strong punch to the man’s nose and Ava heard a crack.

The man brought his knee up in one swift motion, digging the bone deep into Beatrice’ stomach. Her neighbor fell back on her behind with a groan, her left hand clutching her rib. Ava felt her heart drumming through her chest as the fighter remained motionless on the ground. The man stood up to approach her, a menacing look in his eyes.

“Got your Achilles' heel, I mean, your rib?” the man grunted and scoffed. He spat on the ground before approaching Beatrice, his hands slowly balling into fists.

“One more step and I’ll blow your brains off,” Ava said, cocking the gun and aiming for the man’s head. “I’ll shoot, don’t think I won’t.”

The man turned his body towards Ava and was met with the barrel of his own gun.

“Ava, don’t,” Beatrice said, putting her other hand up to stop the actress.

“I won’t let him kill you!” Ava said, squeezing the grip of the gun harder.

“Nobody is killing anyone, okay?” the man spoke, raising both arms up. He slowly backed away into his car, stopping only when the back of his knees ran into the hood.

“Who sent you?! Who’s coming after me?!” Ava screamed, the gun in her hand shaking, still pointed in the man’s direction.

“Ava…,” Beatrice spoke with a soft voice, trying to deescalate the situation. She stood up on one knee and placed a hand on the top of the barrel of the gun, lowering it. “That’s it, Ava, just lower it. It’s okay.”

Ava saw the assuring look on her neighbor’s eyes, and she removed her finger from the trigger, letting her hand fall to the side. Both their heads snapped up to the sound of a car door closing, and they saw a black sedan speed away from them towards the exit to the interstate freeway, the dust from the unpaved ground trailing in its wake.

“I almost had him,” Ava said, “why did you stop me?”

Beatrice took the gun from Ava’s hand and put the safety back on before placing it inside the pocket of her leather jacket.

“You don’t want that kind of blood on your hands. You’re not that kind of person,” Beatrice replied.

“What makes you think I’m not that kind of person?” Ava snapped, still resentful at Beatrice letting the man escape.

“I know that you’re a person who’s scared, and who, in her heart of hearts, really wants to do the right thing, but is afraid that she is alone,” Beatrice replied. “You are mistaken, Ava, the fact that I am here.”

Ava looked at Beatrice’ soft eyes which pored into her own tenderly. The actress felt the fear and guilt that had been eating at her soul for months now bubble up to the surface and manifest in the form of hot tears. She released a cry from within her throat as her body shook in tremors of pain and anguish.

Suddenly, it was Beatrice’ arms around her, enveloping her. The scent of cinnamon and comfort was amplified by her neighbor’s evaporating sweat, and it filled Ava’s senses, replacing the space that dread took in her heart.

Ava held on to Beatrice for a few more moments, until she felt her neighbor’s weight on her own body. It was her neighbor’s turn to hold on to her for support. The actress almost forgot that the fighter took a rough beating a while ago.

“Can you walk to the car?” Ava asked, shifting her own body under Beatrice’ left arm.

“I might need help,” Beatrice replied, seething with pain.

“What is it?” Ava asked.

“Old rib injury. He really got me,” Beatrice replied. “Help me find my glasses?”

xxx

Ava sat on the passenger’s seat beside Beatrice in the parking lot of the gas station. The first aid kit she recently purchased from the pharmacy of the convenience store sat on her lap. She was tending the cut on Beatrice' right cheek where the man punched her a while ago. Thankfully, she found the fighter’s glasses in perfect shape near the site of the scuffle.

“Tsss, is it bad?” Beatrice hissed, enduring the stinging pain of the iodine that Ava was applying to the wound. She squeezed Ava’s arm to numb the pain.

“It’s open, but not too deep as to need stitches. Just the gauze pad should be fine,” Ava replied. The actress noticed her neighbor’s tight grip on her forearm. “I just hope it doesn’t scar, we wouldn’t want to mess up that pretty face of yours.”

Beatrice stared at Ava with amused eyes.

“Did you just call me pretty?” she asked. Ava cleared her throat. She was such in close proximity with the fighter that her enthralling scent has never left her personal space for the last ten minutes, and Ava discovered new hints of cardamom and clove. From this distance, she could count the girl’s freckles. She could not explain how she did not notice those brown flecks around her long eyelashes before.

“Don’t pretend that you did not hear me,” Ava replied, trying to muster a laugh. It came out as a snort.

“Ava, you were on the cover of the 100 Most Beautiful People of 2019, and you’re calling me pretty?” Beatrice said with genuine confusion in her voice.

“So, you’re looking me up, huh?” Ava replied. When Beatrice did not answer, “You’re serious?”

The fighter shrugged.

“Have you never looked at yourself in the mirror?” Ava asked.

“Of course, I have,” Beatrice replied, chuckling to herself.

Ava began dressing the fighter’s wound with the gauze, staring at every inch of her face as she did so.

“Where do I begin?” Ava started. “You have these perfectly shaped eyebrows that I envy, you have to tell me where you get them groomed.”

“I don’t,” Beatrice replied.

“See? And then you have these doe-like eyes, it’s a wonder your opponents are even afraid of you,” Ava said.

“Most of them are not, they underestimate me,” Beatrice replied.

“And don’t get me started on your freckles, the way they—" Ava continued, but Beatrice interrupted her by clearing her throat. The actress saw a blush begin to creep up her neighbor’s cheeks, and the fighter stared at the window into the night.

Ava settled deep into her seat with a grin. She could not believe how flustered her neighbor looked.

“What, your boyfriend never told you you’re pretty?” Ava teased.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Beatrice replied. Feeling emboldened, Ava decided to push further.

“What about your girlfriend?” Ava asked, her tone almost dropping an octave. She saw Beatrice’ back straighten, tensing up once more, and the actress wondered if she had hit a sore spot.

“We have to leave,” Beatrice replied curtly, putting an end to that conversation. The actress felt that it was the last word to be spoken about the topic, so fixed the first aid kit, putting the used cotton balls into a paper trash bag.

“I’ll uh, just throw this outside,” Ava said.

“Okay, but make it quick,” Beatrice replied. Ava smiled before opening the door of the car to get down.

Ava walked to the trash bins near the entrance of the convenience store, feeling Beatrice’ eyes boring through her back. Her neighbor would never let her out of her sight again for sure. She found the bin for biological waste where she dropped the used cotton balls.

Ava wanted to kick herself. She did not understand what she was doing trying to be cheeky with Beatrice. She knew she enjoyed discovering the fighter’s reactions to the things she was saying, but she might have made her neighbor feel uncomfortable. It was the last thing she wanted to do.

Granted, putting her neighbor’s life in danger was also the last thing she wanted to do, yet she was still able to pull that off.

Ava felt the phone inside her pocket vibrate. With the scuffle and after almost getting kidnapped, she forgot all about Bryan.

“Hey, Ava, I’m sorry. I missed my exit and I had to turn back. I’ll be there in three minutes,” Bryan said through the speaker.

“Bryan, I, I’ve already been picked up. You don’t have to come. I’m sorry for troubling you,” Ava replied.

“Are you sure, Ava? It’s no trouble, but you sounded like you really wanted to get out of there a while ago,” Bryan said.

“Yes, my uh manager picked me up so there is no need to come,” Ava replied.

“Okay, just text if you need anything, Ava,” Bryan replied before hanging up. The actress sighed and pocketed her phone before walking back to the car. She was met with Beatrice wincing and caressing her rib.

“Are you sure you can drive, because I can take an early shift,” Ava offered.

“No, it’s fine. I won’t be able to sleep yet, anyway. Jet lag,” Beatrice said. “Was that Mary you were talking to?”

“No, it was my friend, he was supposed to pick me up,” Ava admitted.

“Oh,” Beatrice said, realization dawning upon her. “You weren’t at that dark part of the gas station because the kidnapper took you there. You were going to run away from me and that’s were he found you.”

“You lied to me,” she added, sounding hurt. Ava cast her face down.

“I’m sorry, Beatrice,” Ava replied, trying to reach for her neighbor’s arm but thinking the better of it. She let her hand fall on her lap. “You’re mad at me?”

“I just don’t like it when people are dishonest with me,” Beatrice said.

‘There the list went,’ Ava thought. ‘Thoughtless, self-centered, and now, _dishonest_.’

“The fight earlier activated an old injury which I now know could have totally been avoided if you weren’t wandering off trying to hide from me. The plan was to get you to North Dakota. What were you thinking?,” Beatrice reprimanded the actress.

“I’m really sorry, Beatrice. There’s nothing more I could really say. It was a terrible lapse in judgment. I was just feeling helpless. Nevada is the last state going north where I have a friend. I don’t know anyone else up there. I get why you’re mad at me, and I deserve it,” Ava replied, picking her nails on her lap as tears fell from her eyes to her jeans.

Beatrice took the actress' hand to stop her from scabbing her own fingers. The fighter took a deep breath.

“That’s not true, Ava. I am your friend. And I will be with you up north, every step of the way,” Beatrice replied. Ava looked at her hand warm in Beatrice’, and without knowing it, she began stroking a thumb through her neighbor’s palm. When she looked up, Beatrice was already smiling at her.

“So, you’re not mad at me? You forgive me?” Ava asked.

“I could not stay mad at you,” Beatrice started the engine of the car. “You’d only grin at me or else tease me and my resolve would break.” Ava demonstrated her famous shit-eating grin that landed her the role of Ariel and the fighter shook her head as she chuckled.

“Just don’t do it again, okay? I can’t promise that I would be able to show up in time all the time,” Beatrice said more seriously. She turned on the navigation app of the car, but after some thought, turned it off again.

“Ava, could you maybe grab a map in the store, I have a feeling,” Beatrice said.

“What is it?” Ava asked, furrowing her brows.

“When I placed our destination on the navigation app, I did not set it all the way to North Dakota. You know, the calculation gets more inaccurate for longer distances. I planned to input our destination state by state. The furthest state I put before we left Malibu was Nevada,” Beatrice explained.

“So, they were able to catch up to us here because they know we are going to Nevada?” Ava asked.

“Just a hunch, I don’t exactly know how that works,” Beatrice said.

“And they know that we were going to stop at this particular gas station because I googled it on your phone? But if they have access to your phone, then they would know we are heading for your training camp in North Dakota,” Ava replied, worried.

“They won’t find anything on that phone, that’s just for Spotify. I never turned on the location settings. It just so happens that you used the Google app on there. We should just be careful. I’m turning that phone off now, we could just turn on the radio,” Beatrice said. “Besides, I use an old Motorola for my personal correspondences,” she added, taking a blue clamshell phone out of her pocket to show it to the actress.

“You have a burner for your personal life?” Ava asked, amused.

“Just be grateful that I do, Ava. Now, grab a map, we’re traveling the old fashioned way,” Beatrice replied. Ava did as she was told and rushed back into the store. The actress did not know which maps to get, so she took one each of every destination up north along the I-15. When that task was done, she paid for the maps with cash and went back to the Wrangler.

“Wow, are you going to cover a wall in your room with maps?” Beatrice said as she spied the stack of maps in Ava’s hand. “I still know my way around I-15. It’s just one long, straight drive. I only need a map of North Dakota.”

“Well, you didn’t say it. You just said maps. So I got MAPS,” Ava replied. The two chuckled as Beatrice exited into the interstate freeway.

The pair once again drove in companionable silence through the desert night, with only the headlights and taillights passing by their line of sight to remind them that they were not the only people in the world. Ava turned the radio on, but kept the volume low. The station was in the middle of an Elvis song.

_Take my hand, take my whole life, too..._

“Thanks for being my friend, Beatrice,” Ava said, as she leaned her head on her neighbor’s shoulder. The last thing she remembered were the hints of cinnamon and cardamom as she fell asleep.

xxx

The clock in the car displayed 1:00 AM when Ava woke up. Beatrice’ leather jacket was draped around her and the car was motionless. The driver’s seat was empty.

The actress panicked and sat up in her seat to look for the fighter. She found the girl leaning against the hood of the car in just her tank top, caressing her rib with her hand. Her neighbor’s eyes were trained on the stars above, and from this distance, she could still pick out the profile of her long eyelashes against the background of the navy blue sky.

The actress did not move, not wishing to disturb Beatrice who looked like she was at peace. She took her time observing her friend, her perfect posture, her muscled arms. From the moment she met her neighbor while they were going for a jog back in Malibu, the fighter had always been in motion: saving her life, raiding her kitchen to prepare food for her, turning the wheel of a car to drive her to safety. It was a refreshing sight to see her perfectly still, seemingly just allowing the stimulants of the world revolving around her to fill her senses. Zen and relaxed.

Ava felt a sneeze coming and tried to suppress it but it still tore through her nostrils. The sound broke Beatrice’ reverie, who smiled at the actress and approached the car door. She opened it.

“What are you doing out there without your jacket, it must be cold,” Ava said, touching Beatrice’ arm. It was icy.

“It is, it’s perfect. Sometimes, I just like to feel the world around me,” Beatrice replied. Ava was glad at yet another insight into the person that was her neighbor.

“We’re stopping?” Ava asked, only now noticing that they were parked in front of a motel.

“Yes, I uh, hate to admit it but my rib has been bothering me more than it should. I don’t think I could sit up for long,” Beatrice replied.

“Then why did you not wake me up?” Ava asked, worried.

“You sounded tired, you were snoring,” Beatrice replied, snickering.

“I do not snore!” Ava said, slapping the fighter’s arm lightly.

“How would you know that? You’re asleep,” Beatrice replied.

Ava opened her mouth to say ‘ _my boyfriend never mentioned anything_ ’ but thought the better of it, and closed her mouth once again. Beatrice smiled when the actress stayed silent, thinking she won the banter.

“I also figured we could use a shower and a change of clothes,” the fighter said. Ava nodded to agree. She went down the car to get her bag from the backdoor.

“I left my backpack in Nevada, I must have lost it when I almost got kidnapped,” the actress said, looking at her suitcase in the back of the car.

“What’s in there, anyway?” Beatrice asked, opening her own suitcase to take a change of clothes out and transfer them into a small canvas bag. Ava turned away when she saw her neighbor’s underwear.

“Just a change of clothes, and my kindle,” Ava said sadly. She’s had that device since 2013.

“For when you run away?” Beatrice asked, but her tone was teasing so Ava stuck her tongue out. The fighter offered Ava her canvas bag.

“Here, you can place your clothes inside so we won’t have to drag the entire suitcase to the room,” Beatrice said.When Ava was done arranging her change of clothes inside the bag, she turned to her neighbor who had her coat, the one she used for disguise, ready.

Ava wore the coat. Just as she was reaching for the hat, Beatrice, herself, placed it on top of her head, careful to arrange the wisps of brown hair around the brim. Beatrice tucked a stray lock behind Ava’s ear before she placed the oversized sunglasses on top of her nose. The actress would have just slammed the eyewear on her face and be done with it. Yet there was a surgical precision to the fighter’s method to such small a task. Beatrice’ fingers ever so slightly brushed against the actress’ face as she tried to balance the frame of the glasses over her nose bridge and ears. Their bodies were once again close, too close that the cinnamon and cardamom notes invaded Ava’s senses once more, and the actress was drawn. Without the sunglasses covering her face, Beatrice would have seen how Ava’s pupils were dilated, and how her cheeks were very red. The fighter inspected the hat, leaning in closer into the actress as she did so.

Beatrice’ face was just inches away from Ava’s as she fixed the hair beneath the hat, a soft, beautiful thing just hovering in front of the actress. The actress saw how her nose was too symmetric, the spacing of her freckles too perfect, and her lips were too dry. The actress licked her own. Caught off-guard, she steadied herself by holding on to Beatrice’ shoulders, separating their bodies by a few inches.

“You okay?,” Beatrice asked, sounding worried.

“Yes, uhm, motion sickness," Ava fumbled.

"We should probably go,” she added, breaking eye contact with her neighbor and pointing to the direction of the motel. Beatrice locked the doors of her car and followed Ava to the reception area. They walked into a spartan receiving room on the first floor of the building. There was a blue couch next to the door, and a coffee table with an empty pot of coffee beside boxes of cream and sugar. The reception was a standard, long, white desk with a telephone and a desktop computer on top. Behind it was a kid who could not be older than seventeen. He grinned at the pair through his braces.

It was Beatrice who approached the counter.

“What are your wash-up rates?” Beatrice asked, taking her wallet out of her pocket.

“Our minimum is six hours,” the kid replied.

“That’s hardly fair, we only need a shower,” Beatrice said.

“Sorry, management says six hours minimum, nothing I can do about it,” the kid shrugged.

“Fine, how much?” the fighter asked. The kid narrated the rates from his computer.

“Would you take a twin sharing room or one queen bed?,” the kid asked.

“Doesn’t matter, I told you we only need a shower,” Beatrice replied.

“Is something wrong?” Ava asked, approaching the counter to stand behind the fighter. The kid drew up forms for Beatrice to fill up and then took a key out of the deposit boxes behind him.

“Nothing, just, the minimum is six hours and we won’t be staying that long. But it’s okay, we might not find anything else for a couple of miles,” Beatrice replied. She began to fill-up the form, showing her driver’s license to the kid. Between the two of them, she was lesser-known, and it would be safer rather than have Ava deal with the task. Besides, the actress could not leave any paper trail behind.

She was still answering the form when the flash of a camera bulb entered her periphery. The kid just snapped a photo of Ava, and must have forgotten to turn the flash off. Suddenly, Beatrice’ hand was on the boy’s fingers, twisting it.

“Delete that!” Beatrice said, furious. Ava placed her hand on the fighter’s arm to calm her down.

“Beatrice..,” Ava said.

“I will, I will, I’m sorry, let me go,” the kid said, putting his phone up to show Beatrice that the image was no longer there.

“Show me your recently deleted folder,” Beatrice commanded. The kid flipped through the recently deleted folder on his phone as he winced in pain. Ava’s picture was still there which he deleted right away. Beatrice let go of his hand and grabbed the key on the counter.

“I’m sorry, please don’t tell my supervisor about this. I really loved your work in Little Mermaid!” the kid yelled after them as they got out of the room.

“I’m sorry, I’m not usually like that, I was just trying to protect you,” Beatrice said.

“I know,” Ava replied.

The number on the key was 216.Ava followed Beatrice to the staircase going up the second floor of the building. The fighter turned the key on the knob of Room 216 to find a queen-sized bed in front of an old TV screen and a mini-fridge.

“At least it looks clean,” Beatrice shrugged.

“I hate to break the stereotype but I’m not very particular,” Ava replied.

“Hmmm, a Malibu manor owner is not very particular with motel rooms?” Beatrice wondered aloud as she strode inside the room. Ava checked the bathroom.

“You are a Malibu manor owner, too,” Ava said, sticking her tongue out.

“That house is just being leased by my management for me. A bonus for winning my first professional fight,” Beatrice replied as she sat on the bed to remove her shoes. “I could not afford the down payment on that. Not with a single fight.”

“Listen, can I hop in the shower first? I really need to check my rib,” she added.

“Can I see it?” Ava said, motioning for Beatrice to lie down on the bed. The fighter did as she was told. The actress knelt down beside her and lifted her shirt up, revealing an area on top of her rib that was already yellow and blue.

“You bruise easily?” Ava asked, brushing her fingertips on top of the area. She could not help but look at the ripples of muscles on Beatrice’ stomach. The fighter shivered at the touch.

“I do,” Beatrice replied. “This was an old injury from an underground fight. I broke a rib and it was never quite the same.”

“What do you do about it?” Ava said, pulling the hem of the shirt down.

“Nothing, really, I just train to be better at blocking and dodging,” Beatrice replied.

“Well, it’s swollen. You need to ice it,” Ava said.

“Yes, let me take a shower first,” Beatrice replied. She got up from the bed to take her change of clothes out of the canvas bag.

“Of course, I’ll see what I can do about an ice bag,” Ava replied. She watched Beatrice walk to the shower and then turned to the telephone on the bedside table. She dialed “0”.

“Reception, what can I do for you?,” the voice, which Ava recognized was the kid’s from a while ago, said over the speaker.

“Hi, could I maybe request an ice bag? With ice, of course. We’re guests at Room 216,” Ava asked through the receiver.

“Sure, I’ll be there in ten minutes,” the kid replied. “Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s all, thank you,” Ava said and hung up. She took her burner phone out of her pocket. There were messages from Bryan, JC, and from an unknown number. She opened the one from the unknown number first.

‘ _Where are you now? This is Mary. Call me when you can.’_

Ava glanced in the direction of the bathroom. She could hear the sound of the shower but still thought it safer to simply step outside before she called the number. Mary picked up after two rings.

“Where are you now, Ava? Why have you not updated me?” Mary asked.

“I’m okay, Beatrice and I are okay. Well, I almost got kidnapped in Nevada so I’d rather not tell you where we are right now in case someone is listening,” Ava replied.

“What?” Mary asked. Ava could almost imagine the look on the cop’s face.

“It’s okay. Beatrice took care of it. She kind of got injured so we’re stopping for a while. She’s already turned her phone off and the navigation app of the car,” Ava explained.

“Okay, well, you better update me more regularly okay? I think something’s up. Superion just asked about you twice. She was not as interested in your case as before,” Mary said.

“You think there’s a connection? You think she knows I’m no longer in Malibu?” Ava asked.

“I can’t confirm yet, but I’m keeping my ears open. Stay safe, Ava. And follow your gut, as long as it tells you to do what Beatrice says,” Mary said.

“You’d think I know that by now,” Ava said. She heard someone call for the cop in the background.

“Are you still at work?,” the actress asked but Mary hung up the phone.

She then opened the messages from Bryan.

‘ _Ava, I just got home. Just text me if you need anything, okay? You got me so worried.’_

_‘Sorry, I don’t know if it’s okay to tell JC about what happened but I told him anyway. He said that he’d been worried when he could not reach you. I gave him this number. I hope that’s okay.’_

Lastly, she opened the only message from JC.

‘ _Where are you baby? I heard what happened from Bryan, I thought you were off to Brazil? I’ve been worried. Why do you have a new number all of the sudden? Please call me. I love you.’_

She flipped her phone shut, not knowing what to tell her boyfriend. She felt guilty for worrying him but her mind was preoccupied right now with her neighbor, her gorgeous, strong, smart, and thoughtful neighbor who was, as of that moment, in the shower.

The sound of footsteps interrupted Ava’s thoughts before they could go to more dangerous places. Good thing, though. She felt like she needed to have a talk with herself before trying to find the vocabulary for how she has been feeling around Beatrice lately.

It was the kid, ice bag in hand. Ava was no longer wearing her sunglasses, and the kid’s eyes grew wide at the sight of her.

“I’m really sorry about earlier, Ms. Silva,” the kid said, offering the ice bag to the actress.

“That’s fine, it happens all the time,” Ava said, taking the bag. “At any other time, I would love to take a photo with you. But we are shooting here and it’s a top-secret project, that’s why we checked in at this motel. You’re one of the first persons to know,” Ava said, adding a wink. The kid felt giddy at the thought of a top-secret Hollywood information.

“Ooh, what is the movie about? It’s a movie, right?,” the kid asked.

Ava wrinkled her nose for effect. “Sorry, I can’t really tell you anything. You’ll know what it is when it’s released, and then you can tell your friends all about how Ava Silva personally told you about the project months before. But for now, can you keep this between us? Any information leak might derail the project.”

“My lips are sealed, Ms. Silva,” the kid said, pretending to zip his lips shut.

“About my friend, sorry about what she did, she’s my road manager and is really protective over me. It’s kind of her job,” Ava said.

“Not a problem, Ms. Silva, it was my fault,” the kid replied.

“Thank you,” Ava said. When it seemed that the boy would linger, she added. “I think I better go inside, I still have to memorize my lines. Thank you very much...,” Ava said, trying to read the nameplate pinned on the kid’s chest.

“Henry,” the kid replied.

“Thank you, Henry, goodnight,” Ava said with the smile that always worked wonders. The kid beamed and turned on his heels, almost skipping in the direction of the staircase.

The actress shook her head and returned to her room.

“Boys,” she said under her breath.

“What’s that?” Ava heard a voice say. It was Beatrice. She was already out of the shower, wearing a pair of jogger pants and a plain gray shirt. Her hair was down and was still wet, and she was trying to squeeze out the remaining moisture with a bath towel.

“I think I found a hair blower in the bathroom. You could just plug it in here in the bedroom while I take a shower,” Ava said. She walked to the bathroom to unplug the blower and hand it to Beatrice.

“Thanks, what’s that in your hand?” Beatrice asked.

“Oh, it’s the ice, for your rib,” Ava said, thrusting the bag into Beatrice’ hands. It was refreshing to do something for her neighbor this time around.

“Where did you get this?” Beatrice asked suspiciously as she sat on the bed. She lifted her shirt up and pressed the bag into her rib. Her face was awash with a look of relief.

“The kid from the reception, he brought it up,” Ava replied, and with the look of surprise from Beatrice, she added, “don’t worry about him. He’s just a stupid kid who did a stupid thing. I scared him off. I’ll go hop in the shower now,” she said before the fighter could speak another word on the topic.

Her neighbor just nodded and took her Motorola, which Ava just then saw was on top of the bedside table. She flipped the phone open and dialed a number.

Ava heard the words “Hey, Camila” as she stepped into the bathroom with her things.

The actress might have told Beatrice that she was not her typical Hollywood celebrity, but she still loved her showers. She might have left behind her high end, sponsored bath products in her backpack somewhere in a Nevada gas station, but she still took her time with the unscented motel soap and shampoo. Besides, plenty of time gave way to shower thoughts, and her shower thoughts would finally allow her to have that conversation with herself that she was overdue for. 

The actress pondered on sexuality as she lathered her body with the cheap soap. She has never given much thought to liking women. All her life, she had always been attracted to men. Boys like JC, tall, muscular, handsome, and artistic, were just her type. She remembered having a series of brief flings in New York with those type of men. Ava never told JC this, but all of the men she has gone out with kind of looked like him.

To be fair, he should be flattered. Those men were blazing hot.

Yet Beatrice was different. She was fair, freckled, and petite, nimble yet strong and oh so beautiful. Ava was surrounded by beautiful faces all the time, but they could all fade in a blur when compared to her neighbor. Has she been the only person to notice those shapely eyebrows, and the way her eyelashes curved like they could catch every raindrop? Not possible. Anyone who has ever seen Beatrice would be crazy not to take a second look. And another. And another.

The fighter was probably not aware in the slightest of her effect on Ava. Beatrice unnerves the actress. Whenever she is in close proximity, which tend to be more often lately, Ava loses control, her senses maddened by that enthralling scent she still could not put a name on. Her pulse would always be quickening, her cheeks reddening. The actress does not blush, but when she is around Beatrice, she could easily be mistaken for a tomato.

And JC, Ava has known Beatrice for no more than two days and the actress hardly thought about her boyfriend at all. Yet she did not feel guilty as much as she thought she should, and she felt bad for that. But it’s not like anything is going to come out of this blooming crush she has for her neighbor. That was it. Just a schoolgirl crush. She was allowed to feel that way. She could have fun with that feeling for as long as she wants as long as it meant nothing more.

She turned the knob of the shower to a lower temperature. Thoughts of Beatrice left the actress feeling the need to cool off. Ava was glad that the taps were simple enough. She hated the complicated configurations of the showers in the hotels she usually stays in. She rinsed the soap and the suds of the cheap shampoo off her body. The shampoo left her hair dry, but she was hoping there were better options up at the camp. She changed into her clothes inside the bathroom. Now that she has admitted her infatuation with her neighbor to herself, a little modesty was just proper. She stepped out with her hair wrapped in a bath towel, and into the bedroom.

Beatrice was dozing on one side of the bad, her arm dangling along the edge, almost touching the ice bag that was now on the floor. Ava approached her to find that her mouth was slightly ajar, with the sound of soft, adorable snores coming out.

‘She must be very tired, she’s been driving for eight hours, and fighting kidnappers on top of that,’ Ava thought. She unwrapped the blanket on the bed and draped it around Beatrice’ figure. The actress stepped out of the room to dry her hair, not wanting to disturb her neighbor’s sleep with the sound of the blow dryer.

It was ten minutes later when she came back, her hair still a little damp. Beatrice has not changed positions. Her arm was still dangling to the floor, and Ava decided that it was an uncomfortable position, so she took Beatrice’ hand gently to place it next to her torso on the bed. Her neighbor stirred a little and then settled once more, mumbling unintelligible things in her sleep.

Ava lied down next to her and looked at the time. It was almost two in the morning. She decided that Beatrice could use a few more hours of sleep on an actual bed, and her, too, if she was going to drive next. They could leave at four in the morning. The actress closed her eyes and was off to dreamland almost as soon as her head hit the pillow

xxx

The actress was awakened by the phone ringing on the bedside table. She was still half asleep when she picked it up, wondering who could be calling them.

“Good morning from the Sunlight to Midnight Motel, you initially availed of our six-hour promo rate, would you like to extend your stay?” a chipper female voice said over the phone.

“What?!” Ava asked, looking at the radio alarm clock beside the phone. It displayed 7:00 AM.

“No, I, uh, we’re checking out, thanks!” Ava said, immediately sitting up from the bed. She did not mean to oversleep. Beside her, Beatrice stirred, awakened by the noise.

“Ava, what is it?” Beatrice asked, sitting up beside the actress and rubbing her eyes.

“It’s seven in the morning, we overslept,” Ava replied apologetically.

“Oh no, we were only supposed to take showers. I only took advantage while you were in the bathroom to take a nap,” Beatrice said, only then realizing the extent of delay this would cost them.

“I know, but I saw you were asleep and I could not bring myself to wake you up. I’m sorry,” Ava replied.

“We still have at least fifteen hours of driving between the two of us,” Beatrice said as she stood up from the bed.

“It’s going to be okay. We won’t be making any long stops anymore from here to North Dakota,” Ava reassured the fighter.

Beatrice let her shoulders fall.

“I’m really sorry for not waking you up,” Ava added.

“It’s not your fault; I was exhausted anyway. I guess a twenty-three hour drive without stopping was really a shot in the dark,” Beatrice replied. “Come on, let’s just be quick about it.”

Ava joined the fighter in the bathroom. Thankfully, the sink was big enough for both of them to brush their teeth at the same time. The actress observed the fighter as she rinsed the toothpaste bubbles off of her mouth and splashed her face with water.

‘How could she be this beautiful upon waking up?,’ Ava thought. The actress looked at herself in the mirror. She did not look half-bad, but she was not exactly photoshoot material.

‘But, Beatrice? Hmmm...,’ Ava thought. As soon as she was able to put a name to what she has been feeling about her neighbor, Ava allowed her thoughts to reign more freely. The fighter placed her hand across the actress’ hip when she was done.

“I’ll get changed in the bedroom,” the fighter said. That was the signal that Ava should use the bathroom to change.

So Beatrice was as concerned about modesty as she was. ‘Interesting,’ Ava thought.

The pair got ready in the next ten minutes. Ava was tempted to use the bathroom longer, but she knew how much delay she has already caused the fighter, so she merely washed her face and put on deodorant. She was still fresh from a shower a few hours ago anyway. The two made their way out of the room, with Ava wearing her coat, bucket hat, and eyeglasses. The actress waited for her neighbor in the car while she paid for their room.

Just like that, they were on the road again. Beatrice insisted on driving first, reasoning that she was already well-rested, but Ava was still concerned about her rib and was having none of it. It was the actress turn at the wheel, and she drove as fast as she safely could.

“We are rested, we’re in high spirits, and this is a brand new day!” Ava declared with a grin as she entered the interstate freeway. Beatrice merely smiled.

“You could DJ,” Ava suggested to Beatrice, who seemed bored out of her wits at having nothing to do for the first time in the trip.

“I really don’t want to open my smartphone anymore,” Beatrice said, as she picked up a map to examine it.

“Choose the station?” Ava said, gesturing to the radio.

“Okay, well, since you insist,” Beatrice said. She clicked on the touchscreen display of her car to find a station.

“What would be a good station to start the day?” the fighter thought aloud.

“Oh pop, duh, definitely pop,” Ava replied, giddy at the wheel. Beatrice rolled her eyes.

“I saw that!” the actress said. She tried to slap her neighbor’s hand which was on the display screen playfully. Ever the instinctive fighter, Beatrice flinched out of the way, and intertwined her fingers with Ava’s instead.

“Watch that hand, you might run something over if you’re not paying attention to the road,” Beatrice said curtly, but kept Ava’s palm warm in hers. The actress decided that she did not want her neighbor to let go, so she curled her fingers against her hand.

‘Yes, this is totally normal, this does not mean anything,’ Ava thought.

“You watch your my hand, you almost broke the kid’s fingers back at the reception desk,” Ava teased, testing if Beatrice would let go. She did not.

“I did not break his fingers. They would probably just swell. Trust me, if I did break them, we all would know,” Beatrice added with a wink. The actress was silent after that.

‘Is this flirting? Is Athena, beautiful goddess of war, flirting with me?’ Ava thought. The actress cleared her throat as Beatrice searched for a station with her other hand. It was a classical music station but Ava no longer protested. Maybe Beatrice was just using her charms to get her way in terms of road trip music.

It was only three hours later that Beatrice finally let go of her hand when her Motorola phone rang.

“I’m sorry, I have to take this, it’s my manager,” Beatrice said, although Ava did not know what she was apologizing for.

‘For putting an end to our hand-holding?’ she thought.

“Camila, hey...,” Beatrice started.

“Where are you?! Duretti is furious! He’s been snapping at me all day because you were supposed to be here yesterday!” Ava could hear the voice say even though the phone was not on speaker.

“I had a slight setback, I’m still fifteen hours away,” Beatrice admitted.

“Fifteen hours?!” Camila shrieked and Ava saw Beatrice wince.

“Yes, I’ll explain when I arrive. Just be patient, okay? Hold the line for me and deal with Duretti,” Beatrice said.

It was a few seconds before Camila replied. Ava could almost imagine the girl drawing a deep breath. When she spoke next, she was calmer, “I can be patient, I can be calm,” Camila said, to herself or to Beatrice, the actress did not know.

“Okay, I’ll deal with Duretti. Just try to be here as soon as you can, but drive safe!” Camila commanded.

“You know I will, see you at the camp,” Beatrice replied and shut her phone to hang up.

“Who’s Duretti? He sounds scary,” Ava said.

“My coach. It’s fine, nothing we can do about it now,” Beatrice said, looking at the time.

“It’s eleven, we didn’t have breakfast. Want to grab brunch instead?” Beatrice asked.

“Are you sure you want to stop for that? We are already delayed,” Ava said.

“Yes. They are all already mad anyway, what’s the difference another hour of delay could do? And you’ve been driving for three hours, you could always use the stretch, and we could fill the tank up,” Beatrice said. “Just watch out for the nearest gas station with a diner.”

“Okay,” Ava replied. She cannot help but smile at another gush of affection at Beatrice’ apparent concern for her joints.

The actress found a filling station twenty minutes later. It was a small Shell station with a standard diner at the back. It was empty and therefore the perfect place for a Hollywood star to have brunch in. Ava filled the tank of the car before parking in front of the diner. She decided against wearing her disguise coat since there was no one inside, but Beatrice fixed her hat and sunglasses for her the same way she did before they entered the motel hours ago. The actress slipped her hand on Beatrice’ arm as they strode into the restaurant. They were greeted by a kind-looking woman named Daisy who sat them down by the window.

“Welcome to Daisy’s!” Daisy said, giving each lady a menu. “You’ll have to order at the cash register.”

Ava and Beatrice exchanged confused looks. “Okay..., that’s weird,” Ava said when Daisy left. “She was just standing there, she could have just taken our orders.”

Beatrice let out a small laugh. “Yes, I don’t understand that either.”

“What are you having? You know I’m having steak and eggs,” Ava said.

“Steak and eggs, but make that two orders. Rare and sunny side up,” Beatrice replied.

“Two orders?” Ava asked, wondering where in the fighter’s petite frame would she fit all that food.

“Yes, I’m bulking up, I’m kind of on the lower end of the spectrum for my weight class,” Beatrice explained.

“Okay, I’m heading to the cashier. Coffee?” Ava asked.

“No, chai,” Beatrice said.

‘Chai?’ Ava thought. She’d heard about it but never really had it before. She wondered...

The actress approached the cash register. Behind it was a girl, no older than sixteen, with pink bubblegum hair and a bored expression on her face. She nodded at Ava instead of greeting her.

“I’ll have steak and eggs for myself, medium-rare and scrambled, and coffee,” Ava started. The girl punched the buttons on her computer screen.

“Yeah, and what’s your girlfriend having?” the kid said.

“What?” Ava asked. She glanced towards Beatrice by the window and tried to force out a chuckle.

“Oh, her? No, we’re not, that just..., we’re not, okay?” Ava said, gesturing with her hands to dispel the notion. The girl merely shrugged.

“Whatever you say,” she said.

“She’s having two orders of steak and eggs, rare and sunny side up, and chai,” Ava replied. The girl punched the orders and recited the amount. Ava paid for their food in cash, leaving the girl a tip ten dollars greater than the price of their entire brunch.

“Gee, thanks!” the girl’s face lit up for the first time.

Beatrice told Ava about Duretti as they waited for their food to arrive. The actress no longer liked her neighbor’s coach just by going with what little information she knew about the man. But the fighter seemed to respect him a great deal so Ava did not say anything about it.

When their food arrived, it was Beatrice’ scent that Ava smelled first, cinnamon, cardamom, and clove, only more intense. Ava panicked. Her neighbor was sitting across her, and with the table in between them, there was no way her scent should come off this strong, or even at all. Maybe she has gone mad with infatuation and her senses are playing tricks on her.

“What’s wrong?” Beatrice asked as she lifted her cup to her mouth.

“What are you drinking?” Ava asked, pointing at the steaming mug.

“It’s chai. It’s what I drink, I can’t really drink coffee as my stomach does not receive it well,” Beatrice replied, taking a sip.

‘So the scent of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove that I could not place, it was chai all along?’ the actress thought.

“That’s the source of your enthralling scent!” Ava exclaimed as she fixed her plate of steak and eggs. She put two creams and one sugar in her coffee, Beatrice observing her the whole time.

“My enthralling what?” Beatrice asked, laughing. She broke the yolk of her eggs with her fork. “Just when I thought you’re growing more fond of me, you are just infatuated with chai.”

“I am growing more fond of you,” Ava said, staring at her neighbor as she mixed the cream in her coffee. Beatrice choked on her tea, spilling a few drops on her shirt.

“Oh my god, sorry, are you okay?” the actress asked, taking a paper towel to wipe the front of her neighbor's shirt.

“It’s okay,” Beatrice said, but she allowed the actress to pat the tea dry on her shirt. When that task was done, she said, “let’s just finish our food. We have to get back on the road.”

Ava nodded. The actress tried to focus on her food, but she could not help but steal glances at the woman in front of her in between spoonfuls of steak and eggs. As far as she was concerned, she has caught the fighter steal a glance or two in her direction as well.

“Let’s go?” Beatrice asked as soon as Ava’s plate was clean.

“Yes, let’s,” Ava said, wiping her mouth with the table napkin. The pair stood up to make for the door. Ava was surprised when Beatrice wrapped an arm around her shoulder as the fighter opened the door for her.

Ava turned her head to look back at the girl on the cash register. The girl raised both hands up and mouthed ‘ _seriously?_ ’ The actress just shrugged at her direction.

xxx

It was Ava who drove the car once again for hours, only taking shorter breaks to use the bathroom, or to fill up the tank and let the car rest. The fighter asked her if she could take a nap before she takes over the wheel once again, and the actress told her neighbor to take all the rest that she needed. The fighter started dozing off with her forehead rested on the window, but twenty minutes later, she shifted positions in her sleep and rested her head on Ava’s shoulder. The actress allowed her neighbor to use her own shoulder as a pillow until it was time for Beatrice to take the wheel.

The pair had dinner at a roadside barbecue before Beatrice’ shift. The meal went fine without any incident, and the fighter filled up the tank of her car once more before they were on the road for the final leg of their journey.

It was evening once again, and Beatrice’ turn to drive. Ava was finally able to choose a pop music radio station. The actress tried very hard to keep up a conversation with her neighbor in order to keep her company as she drove north. Sometime along the way, however, she must have fallen asleep, and the last thing she remembered was Beatrice turning the volume of the radio down.

It was still dark when she woke up next, Beatrice’ jacket once again draped across her body. Yet the stars that riddled the dark blue canopy above them were infinitely more numerous and shone brighter. The actress' vision was framed with the treetops of pine, lush and thick.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Beatrice said, smiling at Ava.

Where are we?” Ava asked, rubbing the sleep off of her eyes.

“Ava, welcome to the Gethsemane Training Camp,” Beatrice replied.


	5. Charlotte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ava meets the other people in the camp and recounts a childhood story.

A young woman greeted the pair as soon as Ava set foot in the parking lot of the Gethsemane Training Camp. It was a chilly summer night up in the mountains, and Beatrice had a coat around the actress as soon as she was out of the car. The stranger approached the fighter. She was wearing a bright pink hoodie over a pair of dark red wool pants. Her close-cropped hair was covered in a purple beanie, a few stray wisps of raven locks framing the edges of the hat. She was as tall as Ava, with rosy cheeks and a thick set of eyebrows. The actress thought she looked rather kind. The woman kept a small black tablet close to her chest.

“Duretti’s still awake and he wants a word. Would you like to see your schedule?” the woman asked.

“I’ll deal with Duretti first,” Beatrice replied. “Camila, this is Ava Silva, you know her. Ava, this is Camila, my manager.”

“Hi Ava,” Camila said, enthusiastically shaking the actress’ hand. There was a big smile on her face. “I’ve never really shaken the hand of a celebrity, well, a Hollywood celebrity. Beatrice is sort of a celebrity.”

“Well, here I am,” Ava said. The actress has been with the down-to-earth fighter for the last two days, she almost forgot that Beatrice was also a well-known face.

“I don’t have a top-grossing film under my belt,” Beatrice remarked as she removed the luggage from the back of her car. 

“No, just a top-grossing fight. And a flyweight belt. She’s too humble, this one. The producers hate it. They always want drama leading up to the match. You know, opponents chiding each other in the media. They get plenty of that from Crimson, but they can’t get Beatrice to speak an ill word about her opponent,” Camila narrated. She took Beatrice’ suitcase, and the actress took her own. 

“Who’s Crimson?” Ava asked.

“That’s who I’m fighting at the end of the month,” Beatrice replied as they walked to the front of a building that looked like a four-story hotel. The building’s facade had wood finishing, sort of like an oversized cabin. Wooden balconies were lined up on the white walls, a wooden coffee table, and a chair on each. Ava shivered.

“I’ll go see Duretti, you keep her warm, Camila,” Beatrice instructed.

“Alright, leave your luggage by the stairs, I’ll have someone bring them up,” Camila told Beatrice and Ava as they approached the grand lobby of the hotel. 

“I’ll see you later,” Beatrice bid Ava goodbye, squeezing her left shoulder. Ava’s eyes lingered on the fighter’s hand.

“He is still in the ring,” Camila said. Ava saw that the woman’s eyes were on the actress’ shoulder as well.

“Okay, I’ll go talk to him, you take Ava to her room,” Beatrice said before walking out of the lobby to the hallway on the right.

Finally left alone, Ava took a short tour of the lobby, walking in a circle on top of the red stone floor to admire the interior: more wood, some taxidermy on the wall, and a giant chandelier in the middle made of deer antlers. There was a mammoth fireplace opposite the reception desk, but the fire has been put out. The lobby was empty.

“So, it’s a hotel?” Ava asked Camila.

“It’s a sports hotel,” Camila said, putting air quotes around the words. “We’ve rented it for a month for the fight. “There’s only a handful of staff from the hotel, mostly for maintenance and housekeeping. The rest is part of Beatrice’ team.”

“That’s interesting, I’ve never heard of a sports hotel before,” Ava replied. She followed Camila to the lift on the left side of the lobby beside a grand wooden staircase.

“This facility has an Olympic pool, an Olympic weightlifting gym, two standard gyms, three boxing rings, two dojos, and a track, but Beatrice doesn’t use that, she prefers running up and down the mountain,” Camila enumerated as they entered the lift. The woman punched number four on the panel.

“There’s something I have to tell you, Ava,” Camila started.

“Yes, what is it?” the actress asked.

“When I told Duretti, the head coach, that Beatrice is bringing a guest along, he wouldn’t have any of it. He is really strict about distractions,” Camila explained as they stepped out of the elevator. She stopped walking at the top of the stairs, and Ava saw that there was only one door on that floor.

“I threatened him, reminded him that he has brought his mistress here with him in the camp without the owner of the team’s nor his wife’s knowledge, so he should not be the one talking about distractions,” Camila said.

“And?” Ava asked, waiting for Camila to continue.

“Well, he has his side-chick here, so I told him Beatrice should be allowed to bring her girlfriend,” Camila said.

“Oh,” was all Ava could say.

“Don’t worry about it, I know how this could look like for your career but the team is made up of people all loyal to Beatrice, and they all signed an NDA,” Camila replied.

“No, it’s fine, really, it’s the perfect alibi. Why else would Beatrice be bringing me here if I were just someone,” Ava said. “What exactly did she tell you about me?”

“That you were a friend. She did not say much else so I know not to pry,” Camila replied. “Plus, I wanted to meet you,” Camila added sheepishly. She took out a keycard from her pocket and tapped it on the panel beside the doorframe of the lone door on that floor. 

“One more thing,” Camila said as she opened the door for the actress. The room was large, only a little smaller than a five-star hotel penthouse, and a lot homier. The ceiling was slanted, they were in the attic after all. Opposite the door was a large double door behind a sheer light blue curtain, leading to the balcony. On the left side of the room was a blue couch, a coffee table, a television set, and a fireplace. Beside it was a four-seater wooden dining set, a tall fridge, and a two-burner stove beneath wooden cupboards. Next to that was a wooden door that Ava thought probably led to the bathroom. Pushed to each corner on the right side of the room, with their foot pointed to the living room, were a king-sized bed and a double-sized mattress. The mattress was on the floor.

“This is the best room in the hotel. This is also Beatrice’. I can’t have you sleep anywhere else now that everybody knows you are the girlfriend. I tipped a person from the crew with cash to bring up another mattress without telling anyone. I hope these arrangements are okay,” Camila said.

“Of course, this is genius. Thanks, Camila,” Ava replied. 

‘You kidding? Sleeping in the same room as Beatrice?’ Ava added in her head.

“You can take the king,” Camila said, pointing to the bigger bed, the one with a bed frame.

“Oh no, I don’t need to. I bet Beatrice would be really tired after training the entire day, she should take the bigger bed,” Ava said, waving her hands in front of her to reject the offer.

“I know Beatrice. She would just make you move to the bigger bed, better take up space now,” Camila insisted. Ava walked to the king bed and sat on its edge, looking at Beatrice’ empty one about two meters away.

“You get settled in, your luggage is being brought up. Breakfast is served down at the mess hall from six to ten in the morning, lunch from twelve to two, and dinner from seven to nine. Free-flowing coffee, tea, and snacks in between, no alcohol, though,” Camila explained. “Unless you’d rather take your meals in this room, I can arrange that for you.”

“No, I’ll take my meals in the mess hall just like everyone else,” Ava replied.

“You’re not the stereotypical celebrity, just like Beatrice said,” Camila said with a smile.

“Beatrice talked about me?” Ava asked, curious.

“Briefly, on the phone, when I was discouraging her from bringing you along because I thought it would be hard to handle a Hollywood A-lister. Good thing I was wrong,” Camila replied. 

“Yeah,” Ava replied, smiling at the other woman. She could already tell that she would like the girl.

“Well, I’ll leave you to rest. The staff will leave your bag outside the door and ring you for it. I hope you have fun at the camp!” Camila said. “Goodnight, Ava.”

“Goodnight, Camila,” Ava replied, walking the girl to the door. Camila whipped her body around to face Ava once more just as they were by the couch and the actress almost jumped.

“Right, silly me, I totally forgot,” Camila said. She took a tablet from her hoodie pocket, the one that was in her hands when she greeted them at the parking lot.

“I forgot to give you this,” Camila said, handing over the tablet to Ava. It was a black Kindle Paperwhite. “Beatrice asked me to get this for you. It’s subscribed to Kindle Unlimited so you can just download whatever. I had to drive down the mountain to find a BestBuy this morning.”

Ava stared in awe at the girl as she turned over the new Kindle in her hands. She just lost the Kindle that has been with her for at least ten years, left behind in her backpack in the Nevada gas station where she almost got kidnapped. It might not look like it, but losing that device devastated Ava. It was given as a present to her by her father. Her old man wanted her to pass time reading books in between takes during the taping of her sitcom. Over the next months, her kindle library grew with recommendations from her former friends, the other actors from the show. Playing the youngest child in the family, it was through reading that Ava bonded with the older cast members during her final year in the show. The actress lost touch with her Hollywood friends when her character was written off and she moved to New York. Finally losing that piece of technology yesterday felt to Ava like closing a door to that chapter in her life, never to be opened again.

She remembered mentioning losing the device to Beatrice in passing. Knowing that the taller woman caught on to that tiny bit of information and went out of her way to make sure she had one now overwhelmed the actress.

Ava felt Camila’s hands on her arms. “You okay?” 

The actress nodded. She did not realize that she had remained quiet. 

“Is this not the model you wanted? I’m going to get busy when training starts but I can have someone go down to the city and get it for you,” Camila said when Ava still did not speak.

“No, it’s perfect, Camila. It’s all too much, actually, I feel like I’ve only just arrived and I’m already overstaying my welcome,” Ava replied. 

“That’s crazy, you’re a friend of Bea’s,” Camila replied. The actress noted the nickname.

“It’s just that I only mentioned losing my Kindle to Beatrice once, without really thinking much about it,” Ava said.

“Oh, that’s typical Beatrice, takes note of everything. I take it you haven’t known her for that long?” she asked and Ava nodded. There was a smirk forming on Camila’s lips.

“Well, you better get used to it. Good luck. I’d really love to stay and chat but, I have to let you get rested now. By the way, the TV has Netflix, and the wifi password is on that card on your bedside table.” Camila said as she walked to the door. 

“‘Night again, Ava. It was really nice meeting you. Hope we could take a photo together when the period for the NDA expires,” Camila said, winking as she stood at the opposite side of the door.

“Sure, of course,” Ava said, smiling as she closed the door. 

Finally alone, Ava rested her back against the wooden door, clutching the e-reader to her chest. Her heart was drumming against the device, and the actress started to feel warm at yet another gesture of thoughtfulness from Beatrice.

This was too much for Ava. She walked to her bed, collapsing on the mattress and burying her face into one of the soft pillows to stifle her screams. This was one of the moments she wished she had a friend to confide in, someone to talk her through her feelings, another voice to tell her how stupid she was becoming. She needed someone to scold her for how she would ruin her budding friendship with Beatrice by reading too much into all of her caring gestures, staring far too long at her freckles, or holding her hand for a second more.

Ava wished she had a group of friends who would yell at her and tell her to stop because what she thought was a harmless crush, a crush that she has only just admitted to herself, is quickly turning into something else. The feeling of wanting something more. God knows that all the plays and movies she has auditioned for should tell her that that was the most dangerous thing to ask for. And Beatrice has already given far too much without asking for anything in return, it would be unfair for Ava to continue yearning.

Who could she tell? She certainly could not tell JC. What will she tell her boyfriend? That her brain lately only has space for thoughts of her neighbor whom she hated only a week ago? She certainly could not tell Bryan that after making him drive in the middle of the night, instead of running away with him, she chose to come with the fighter because it was with her that she felt the safest. 

Ava sighed. There ends her list of friends. Was she really that pathetic? A woman in her early twenties and a star of a major Hollywood movie with no friends? Beatrice had already counted her as a friend, she’d be stupid to - 

The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled Ava away from her thoughts. The actress walked to the door, taking a peep at the eye hole before opening it to reveal a man with hers and Beatrice’ bags.

“So it is true! You’re Ava Silva!” the man said excitedly. He was tall and had his long blonde hair in a ponytail. His wide blue eyes were trained on Ava, and he was wearing a yellow shirt with the words “ **the BEAst** ” written in black sans serif font. Ava took him as part of the fighter's team. “Can I put these bags inside for you?”

“Yes, of course, come in,” Ava replied. The man smiled at the actress, dragging her suitcase and Beatrice’ duffel bags through the door. 

“Where do you want these, Miss Silva?” the man asked. 

“Oh, you can put the suitcase by the king bed, and those bags are Beatrice’, you can put them by the mattress,” Ava replied. The man did as he was told.

“Thank you uh-” Ava started.

“Klaus,” the man replied. “I am one of Beatrice’ sparring partners.”

“Thank you, Klaus,” Ava replied. She was tired and wanted nothing but to get rid of the man so she could change into her pajamas and sleep, but Klaus did not move from his spot.

“I wish I could take a photo with you, show all my friends how I have Ava Silva together with me in a hotel room,” Klaus sniggered. The actress knitted her brows.

“Sorry?” Ava replied.

“I just wanted to shake your hand, Miss Silva,” Klaus said.

“Alright, of course,” Ava replied, offering her hand just to get it over with. The man eagerly took her right hand, shaking it in earnest. Klaus’s palm was rough and calloused, much like Beatrice’ was, but her neighbor’s grip would never be this hard and bone-crushing.

“Goodnight, Klaus,” Ava said with finality and the man let go of her hand. The actress walked Klaus to the door to shut it behind him, but not before the man sent a wink her way. The actress rolled her eyes the moment he was out of sight.

‘Men.’ Ava thought. At least JC was not like that. Aside from being blazing hot, his intentions were pure and he was sincere, and she has never heard him speak ill of a woman even when he was with his friends. 

‘Wow, the bar is so low, huh?’ Ava mused. Did she settle for JC because he treated her with decency, unlike all the other men she has dated? Because comparing with Beatrice...

“UGH! STOP THINKING!” Ava said out loud. She walked to her suitcase, entering the combination code of the lock and unzipping it. She aggressively shoved her clothes into the closet beside her bed in an effort to find her pajamas and keep her mind off JC or Beatrice. When she found her favorite pink silk pair, Ava made for the bathroom. 

The actress saw that it was a simple white tiled bathroom, with a clawfoot bath on the way to the shower area. She wanted nothing more than to dip her muscles, sore from the long drive, in the tub, but she figured that spending such a long time in the bathroom would give way to more thoughts. She instead went for a quick shower.

Ava came out of the bathroom twenty minutes later with her hair already dry. She found the bedroom still empty. The actress wondered why Beatrice’ coach was keeping her from resting when he should know that his fighter drove all the way from California. Ava settled into her bed and sent a quick text to Mary to report that they had made it to the camp and that she was turning in for the night. She hid her burner phone beneath her pillow and picked up the Kindle from her bedside table. 

The actress found that it was already connected to the wifi and was in her name. She felt another rush of affection for Beatrice upon seeing “ _Ava’s Kindle_ ” at the upper left portion of the screen. She navigated the device to the Amazon store to download a book from the Discworld series, the one she was reading before she lost her previous e-reader.

It was almost two in the morning, and Ava managed to read a few paragraphs of the novel, before fatigue took over to carry her off to dreamland.

xxx

The sun was already shining through the sheer blue curtains of the balcony door when Ava woke up. She took a peek at the radio alarm clock on her bedside table. It was nine in the morning. The actress rolled over on the mattress to look at Beatrice’ side of the room. The fighter’s bed was empty, but a tiny depression in the mattress indicated that the bed had been slept in.  
Of course, the fighter would get up early. Ava wondered how many hours of shut-eye her friend managed to get before she had to wake up for training. The actress was worried that it was not enough to get her through a day of hard, physical activity.

Ava got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. She changed into a pair of wool pants, a plain gray tank top, a light pink hoodie, her sneakers, and a blue bucket hat. The actress was quick about the task, still wanting to catch some breakfast in the mess hall. She was admittedly quite hungry when she went to bed.

The actress was about to walk to the door when her eye caught the sight of a small, square, orange sticky note stuck on the fridge in the mini kitchen. She approached the door of the fridge in order to read it.

**_Had to get up early for a run. See you at lunch?_ **

**_\- B_ **

Ava was giddy upon seeing Beatrice’ neat scrawling script in black ink. She plucked the note from the fridge and placed it in her pocket for good luck. With her Kindle safe under her arm, she strode out of her room to start her day. The actress planned to explore more of the camp and try to catch a glimpse of Beatrice in action.

Ava had no idea where the mess hall was located, but she assumed it was on the ground floor so she punched the G button of the panel inside the lift. A few seconds inside the elevator took her back to the lobby of the hotel. It was still empty, save for the lone man at the reception desk. He was wearing a white sweatshirt with a green vest with the words Gethsemane Training Camp embroidered on his left breast pocket.

“Good morning! I would like to know where the mess hall is?” Ava said, giving the man at the reception a smile as she approached the counter. The man’s mouth hung open at the sight of her.

“I didn’t think it would be true, I only heard a rumor,” the man whispered to himself too audibly for Ava to hear.

“Yes, well, I’m just trying to get breakfast before they take it away,” Ava replied, smiling shyly. 

“Of course, Ms. Silva. If you go through the hallway on the left of the elevator, the large double doors to your left at the end would be the mess hall,” the man replied. 

“Thank you, uh,” Ava glanced at the nameplate on the man’s chest. “Judd,” Ava said, adding a wink. Judd’s face turned into beetroot red as Ava walked away before he could mouth his welcome.

The actress strode to the hallway to look for the mess hall. She padded quietly on the red stone floor, drawing her hood up and keeping her head down to avoid any more recognition before she has had her breakfast. 

She did not encounter anyone else on her way to the end of the hallway. It was most probable that everyone on Beatrice’ team kept early hours. She was near the large double doors when she heard a man shouting angrily in the room opposite the mess hall, its door slightly ajar.

“She needs to rest,” Ava heard a female voice reason. The woman sounded frustrated. Whoever she was talking to was making things difficult for her.

“She has already missed an equivalent of two training days because of her ridiculous decision to drive from California!” an old man’s voice replied. Ava’s interest was piqued at the possibility that they were talking about Beatrice. She pinned her back to the wall adjacent to the room to hear the conversation more clearly.

“That’s over and done, now you want to punish her for it?” the woman replied. “Boxing drills on three hours of sleep? Her immune system would crash!”

“If she is the champion fighter that she thinks she is, she can take it!” the man insisted.

“She IS a champion fighter, Duretti. She has already proven that. All I’m asking is for half a day. Just let her sleep for half a day. She’s been training anyway for the past few months, in Japan and in Malibu like the management has informed us. Let her rest. She’s like a very taught string, I’m afraid she will snap!” the woman replied. Apparently, this man who would not let Beatrice rest was her coach Duretti. Ava was right to think that she would not like the man. 

“We proceed with the training schedule as is and she will put in the extra hours until she makes up for the days she lost. End of story,” the man said.

“But Duretti-” the woman pleaded once more.

“This is the reason I am the head coach, and you’re not. This is the reason I am a man and you’re not,” the man said. Ava knitted her eyebrows. 

‘What has that got to do with anything?’ she thought.

“You’re lot is created to do as we say because you women are always clouded by your emotions that you cannot make difficult decisions. You’ll always be assistant coach Shannon, a follower. Stop trying to make things go your way,” the man continued. Ava heard heavy footsteps approaching the door but before she could take a step away from the wall, the man towered beside her.

Ava did not know how she expected Duretti to look like, but this was not it. The man was old and pot-bellied. The actress had imagined martial arts coaches to be more on the fit side. The man was wearing the same yellow shirt with the words " **the BEAst** " spelled out in black that Klaus was wearing. He looked at Ava from head to toe.

“Who the hell are you? I’ve never seen you before,” Duretti asked.

“Uhm, I, uh,” Ava stammered.

“Oh, I know now,” Duretti said, stepping around the actress in a semi-circle to get a full look.

“You are the girlfriend, the reason we are behind our training schedule,” Duretti sneered.

“I, I’m sorry,” Ava replied. She cast her eyes down, not wanting to meet the man’s gaze.

“You know I never wanted to train a lady fighter?” Duretti spat. “You see two men on the ring, that’s a real sport. But two women? That is just entertainment. However, Beatrice’ management pays good money, and she is entertaining to watch, so why not? I signed up to lead this team to deal with one woman. That was not too hard. Beatrice has a one-track mind, it’s easy to control her. But I have to deal with a female assistant coach, and now, a girlfriend? I don’t understand why you women keep forgetting your place.”

Ava was speechless. She wanted to defend Beatrice, wanted to tell this man that rather than having a one-track mind, she was the smartest person she knew, that Beatrice was dedicated to the sport, that she had a strong will and cannot be controlled. Yet the actress chose to hold her tongue, deciding that it was not her place to speak for the fighter. Compared to Duretti, Ava was just an acquaintance. The man sneered once more when Ava held her mouth agape and turned away from the actress. He took two steps towards the lobby, before turning back.

“You stay away from her during training. You women have done enough damage already, I have a fight to win and a show to sell,” Duretti warned, pointing a finger at Ava before striding out of the hallway once more. Ava noticed that the man walked with a slight limp. The actress bit her fingernails, shaken. She began doubting whether coming to the camp with Beatrice was a good idea. She wondered if she could get a ride down the mountain and back to California, not wanting to disrupt Beatrice’ training any further. Tears started to well around her eyes when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t listen to him. It’s not as bad as he says. Beatrice is in perfect form. That’s why I was confident enough to ask for at least half a day off,” the woman said. She was tall and towered over Ava, with braided brown hair and kind eyes.

“I’m Shannon,” the woman said, extending a hand to Ava. The actress took her hand to shake it. It was rough and calloused like Beatrice’, and warm, unlike Klaus’s. 

“Ava,” the actress replied.

“Of course, I know who you are,” the taller girl said, smiling at Ava. “Are you looking for Beatrice? She’s currently doing laps at the pool for endurance.”

“I was just about to get breakfast,” Ava replied, pointing her thumb to the direction of the mess hall. Duretti’s warning to avoid Beatrice during training was still fresh in her mind.

“I meant to get a cup of coffee, care if I join you?” Shannon replied. Ava nodded, smiling at the woman as she followed her to the mess hall. The actress dreaded having to eat alone and was glad that a friendly face wanted to join her at the table. 

The mess hall was huge, like a school cafeteria, with more than ten rectangular tables seating six people each. Like the rest of the hotel, the mess hall was almost entirely wooden and had a cabin feel to it. Large windows with the view of the rest of the mountains allowed the sunlight in, and Ava saw three huge chandeliers made of deer antlers across the ceiling.

Shannon pointed to the coffee machine as Ava approached the buffet table. She warmed two waffles and piled jam and a sunny side up egg on her plate, thinking that she’d jog off the calories later.

The actress saw Shannon settle at a table nearest the buffet, with two steaming mugs of coffee in front of her. Only two other tables in the mess hall were occupied.

“I don’t know how you take your coffee so I brought cream and sugar along,” Shannon said, gently throwing the packets of cream and sugar on the table.

“So, you’re an assistant coach?” Ava asked, making conversation. She opened a packet of sugar and dumped it in her coffee.

“Yes. I am a retired fighter. I started an all women’s team back where I came from. Beatrice originally wanted me to be head coach, but her management wanted a bigger name,” Shannon explained. “And a man.”

“Sorry, is Duretti kind of a big deal?” Ava asked as she spread strawberry jam on her waffles.

“Used to be. He was disgraced more than ten years ago, some scandal that made him lay low for a while. But he is currently making a name for himself again, especially after Beatrice’ last fight,” Shannon replied. 

“He certainly is...something,” Ava replied, glaring at the empty space beside Shannon, imagining the man sitting there. “Seems to be really fond of women.”

“You heard all that?” Shannon asked.

“Kind of,” Ava said. “Sorry, I was prying. I couldn’t help it when I thought you were talking about Beatrice.”

“That’s okay, she is your girlfriend,” Shannon replied. “I just wish her head coach was someone else, not Duretti. He does not deserve a fighter like Beatrice.”

“Have you talked to her about it?” Ava asked.

“No, we don’t talk to Beatrice about Duretti. She respects the man a great deal. She thinks she owes him that championship. Truth was, and from a fighter’s point of view, that victory of hers was her own doing. Duretti’s training regimen is designed to stroke his ego, make him feel like he is in charge.” Shannon explained. “Besides, Beatrice is the only person on this team who Duretti treats with the minimum amount of decency. She may not believe us.”

“Of course, Beatrice would believe you,” Ava replied. The actress knew it in her heart, but upon realizing that Shannon has known the fighter for a longer time, she began to doubt herself.

“I don’t want to risk it. I’ve had my fair share of standing up to men in the past. All of which had the opposite consequence of what I intended. If Beatrice does not believe me, I and several other women might get kicked out of the team. I cannot protect them all if I’m not the assistant coach,” Shannon explained sadly.

“Do you really think it’s better to stay out of it?” Ava asked.

“How old are you, Ava?” Shannon said.

“I’m twenty-one,” Ava replied.

“Still young. I wish I could give you a piece of better advice. Maybe your generation is braver than ours. If I want to protect my friends, I just learned to make peace with it,” Shannon said, taking a final sip of her coffee. “See you around, Ava.”

“Wait,” Ava said. The assistant coach was about to stand up but she sat back down.

“The others, you think they have made peace with it, with how you are being treated?” the actress asked.

There was a bewildered look on Shannon’s face. “What do you think you can do about the situation, Ava? What are you planning to do?”

“Nothing. That’s me. I do nothing,” Ava replied bitterly. Flight, not fight. She knows there’s nothing she can do to help all those women back in Hollywood, and that was her turf. There is definitely nothing she could do about helping the women here, not when she was merely a guest. She has long taken Shannon’s advice and made peace with it.

Besides, if Shannon was right and Beatrice would not believe them, she’s just finding yet another way to ruin their friendship.

“I’m sorry, this is not the welcome you expected, nor deserved. If you steer clear of Duretti, I’m sure you will find your stay at the camp enjoyable,” Shannon said. She placed a hand on the actress’ shoulder and smiled at her sadly before walking out of the mess hall. Ava stared at the taller woman’s empty coffee cup in front of her, her head lost in thought.

“That’s me. I do nothing,” she repeated to herself.

xxx

Ava tried to avoid any of the camp's facilities the entire day. The sky was clear above her head, the midday sun shone brightly, and that summer day in the mountains was tolerably cool. She found a patch of oak trees surrounding a grove just at the edge of the camp in which to sulk. The actress sat down on one of the tree's giant roots, whipping her kindle out of her hoodie’s pocket to continue with her novel and take her mind off missing Beatrice.

The actress must have lost track of time. She was at the one-third mark of Unseen Academicals before they left Malibu, and she had just now finished the entire novel. She peered at the time on her Apple watch and saw that it was two-thirty in the afternoon. She had missed lunch, although she did not feel the need for it because the breakfast she had was late and filling. She wondered if Beatrice was looking for her, considering that she wrote her a note to meet up during lunch.

Ava was about to check if the camp’s wifi would reach her spot so she could download the next book in the series when she felt a body plop down next to her. 

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” the person beside Ava said.

“Oh, hi, Camila,” Ava greeted the woman. Camila was wearing a hoodie version of the " **the BEAst"** shirt the actress has been seeing everyone in the camp wear. “Everything alright?”

“Everything’s going right on schedule. We didn’t see you at lunch?” Camila said.

“I had a heavy breakfast,” Ava replied.

“Your girlfriend has just been worried, thinking you’re bored out of your mind,” Camila said with a wink. “She had me look for you.”

“You know she’s not my girlfriend,” Ava replied. “Besides, she’s probably just worried I ran away again.”

“Okay, uh, I’m not one to pry, but if you feel like telling me what really got you into this situation with Beatrice, feel free to do so. All I know is that she’s never mentioned a friend, a Hollywood star friend at that, until she made that phone call to me the other day. Bea tells me everything, so I know that you two had only just met,” Camila said.

Ava considered it for a moment. She felt that Camila was someone she could confide in, but she wouldn’t want to dump that information on a person she just met. Not to mention that this crazy plan they were executing was confidential.

“You know I can’t tell you that,” Ava replied.

“I knew it,” Camila said, winking. “It’s cold out here, what are you doing here alone?”

“We don’t get that much cold weather in Malibu, might as well enjoy it while I’m here,” Ava replied. She saw Camila unscrew an insulated jug that was under her arm just a while ago. The other woman poured a light brown liquid inside the lid of the jug that now served as a cup.

“Nettle tea?” Camila offered but Ava shook her head to decline.

“How long have you known Beatrice?” the actress asked.

“Since college? I was studying TV production, and there was a summer that we had to intern for a televised event. I got assigned to sports, a big amateur event, lots of fighters. I originally wanted to work in the music industry, but I guess it kind of stuck. I am now her manager slash assistant,” Camila replied.

“How can one be a manager and an assistant?” Ava asked, chuckling. Camila took a sip of her tea with a smile on her face.

“It worked for us, Beatrice and myself. I assume you have a manager and an assistant, probably plenty of assistants?” Camila asked.

“I have an agent. And no, I don’t have an assistant,” Ava replied. Upon seeing Camila’s knitted brows, she added, “You think I should get one?”

“I think you’re going to be infinitely busier after your last film grossed that much. You’re going to need all the help you can get,” Camila advised.

“Are you looking to jump ship?” Ava joked, nudging Camila’s arm with her shoulder. The other woman laughed.

“As much as I want to work in Hollywood, it is, after all, closer to my plans of working in the music industry, I can’t leave Beatrice. Not with Duretti around, anyway,” Camila replied sadly, staring into space.

“Oh, Duretti. Heard all sorts of good things about him,” Ava snorted. 

“I see you’ve met him,” Camila said.

“Kinda walked in on him berating Coach Shannon, and then he had some words for me. Safe to say they weren’t very nice words,” Ava replied.

“Well, don’t let him get into your head,” Camila said, touching Ava’s hand lightly. “He doesn’t know who you are. Once he figures that out, he’s going to treat you like a person.”

“That’s what Shannon said,” Ava replied. “Have you had some personal nasty experience with him?”

“Oh, loads, in the beginning. But when he tried to cop a feel of me, that was the last straw. I kicked him on the shin,” Camila replied.

“Oh yeah, you did!” Ava high fived the other girl.

“That limp when he walks? He likes to tell that it’s an old injury from a fight in his youth but that was just because of me,” Camila replied.

“That’s terrible, what he tried to do to you,” Ava said. “Does Beatrice know?”

Camila shook her head. “She respects that man, grateful that they won the last fight together. She’s the only person he treats properly so it might be hard for her to wrap her head around the idea that her coach is a terrible person.”

“You think she won’t believe you?” Ava asked.

“I don’t know if she will. When it comes down to choosing between myself and Duretti, I am replaceable,” Camila replied.

“And Duretti is not? I bet Shannon could do what Duretti is doing, even better because she actually cares for her fighter. Besides, she is your friend, why do you think she won’t believe you?” Ava asked.

“A lifetime’s worth of disappointment,” Camila replied. “Why do you think I got stuck with an amateur sports event during my internship? I tried to report a professor who offered me an internship at this big record label in exchange for a night together.”

“Gross! That sucks balls,” Ava said. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“Well, I tried to make peace with it. Kicking Duretti at the shin is about the most justice I could ever get,” Camila said, taking another sip of her tea.

It was the second time during that day that Ava heard those words. It should resonate with her, but somehow, she thought that something was wrong. This was not peace. This was sweeping the dust under the rug. Ava knew that because that was what she was doing. At least she could put it in the proper terms.

“Enough of this conversation, we don’t want to spoil your stay here,” Camila said. “Found any cute boys you like? Many of Bea’s sparring partners look so fine.” 

Ava just stared at Camila, not speaking.

“Or any cute girls?” Camila added when Ava did not speak. She saw the yearning look in the actress’ eyes and then the realization hit her. “Oh, god, don’t tell me?”

“What’s there to tell?” Ava said, casting her eyes down.

“I knew it,” Camila said. “You’re hiding here because you’re pining after her!”

“I’m hiding here because Duretti told me to avoid Beatrice during training,” Ava corrected. “But yes, I am pining after her.”

“That sucks!” Camila replied. “Pining is bad. Not being able to pine freely? The worst.”

“What do you mean?” Ava asked.

“Well, you have a boyfriend, duh,” Camila replied. “I follow you on Instagram. Your last post about him was weeks ago, I knew something was up.”

“That’s just because we don’t see each other that often. Beatrice has nothing to do with that,” Ava replied. “Wait, do you think she knows about JC?”

“Probably not. I run all of her social media, she never logs in herself, and she knows nothing of Hollywood drama,” Camila said. “Judging by the look in your eyes this is not just a harmless crush. What are you gonna do about it?”

“I don’t know, what can I do? I don’t even know if Beatrice likes girls,” Ava said, eyeing Camila.

“You know I can’t tell you that,” the other woman replied.

“Fair enough,” Ava said. 

The pair took a few moments of silence before the actress spoke once again. “But really, what do you think I should do?”

“Is it that bad?” Camila asked and Ava nodded.

“I think that you are thinking about your own feelings too much. But whatever you do, you should take great care not to hurt anyone, or anyone any further,” Camila replied.

“You think I’m self-centered, too,” Ava said bitterly. 

“No, I just think you were thrust into this situation for the first time. Girls like you don’t pine. It’s just normal to want to think about yourself first,” Camila said. 

“I just miss her, Camila. I haven’t seen her for half a day and I already miss her so much. You’re right, I never pine. I don’t see my boyfriend for months on end and I hardly miss him like this,” Ava confessed.

“Maybe it’s because Beatrice is so new to you?” Camila offered. “Before you even begin thinking about that, you have to deal with that other thing first.”

“Deal with JC?” Ava asked. 

“Of course, what else?” Camila replied, taking another sip of tea.

Ava stared at the mountain view. This issue with JC was not the only thing she has to deal with. There’s also this whole whistleblowing thing back in Hollywood, and now, what she knows about Duretti. Truth be told, her boyfriend was the last thing on her mind.

“It’s getting colder, want to continue this inside?” Camila asked.

“Are you sure you don’t have anything else to do? I don’t need a babysitter,” Ava replied.

“I don’t do anything during training, I’m not really needed there. Come?” Camila said, standing up and shaking the grass off her jeans. She placed her hand in front of Ava, gesturing for the actress to get up. The actress did as she was told, and took Camila’s hand to help herself to her feet.

“Where are we going?” Ava asked.

“Don’t you want a tour of the camp?” Camila replied.

“Some other time, maybe. I really am not ready to bump into Duretti just yet,” Ava said. “Wanna hang out in my room?”

“Are you kidding?” Camila said, and when she saw the embarrassed look on Ava’s face, “Of course I want to hang out in your room.” Camila took that actress’ arm in hers as they both headed back to the hotel.

xxx

Ava and Camila were at the third episode of the first season of a Netflix original series when they simply forgot about what was on TV and began trading gossip. The actress did not expect to enjoy another woman’s casual company this much. She has never really hung out with another girl after she moved away from California. The actress wanted to keep Camila as interested in her as possible, so she tried to contribute as much Hollywood gossip to the conversation without naming names. The other girl particularly enjoyed the bits about the couples who were fake dating because several of her suspicions were confirmed. Empty bowls of spaghetti sat on the living room coffee table - Camila had dinner brought up for them in the room, and Ava was already comfortable in her pajamas.

It was almost nine in the evening when they heard the beeping of the keycard panel and the sound of a doorknob turning. The pair’s laughter halted as they both turned to find Beatrice’ head appear behind the door.

“Ah, Camila, you were here the whole time?” Beatrice asked, entering the room. She was wearing the same yellow shirt as all the others, paired with black yoga pants.

“Yes, sorry, did you need me?” Camila replied.

“No, I, uh, I asked you to go find Ava and then you disappear on me as well, so I was just worried. I’m glad to see my two favorite people getting along,” Beatrice said. Ava ducked her head, not wanting to show anyone in the room that she was smiling so hard, she thought her face would break. 

‘She was Beatrice’ favorite person?’

“I was just keeping your girlfriend company while you’re boring her out,” Camila said. Both Ava and Beatrice stared at Camila upon hearing the word ‘girlfriend.’

“Sorry. I was method acting, right Ava? Or else I might slip up outside,” Camila said.

“Camila, things are awkward enough for Ava,” Beatrice said with a slight warning tone.

“No, it’s fine,” Ava said. “I love being your camp girlfriend,” she added.

“You do?” Beatrice asked. 

It took a few seconds before Ava realized it. “Wait, did I say that out loud?”

“I definitely heard that,” Camila replied. Beatrice cleared her throat and pointed her thumb in the direction of the bathroom.

“I’m gonna go grab a shower,” the fighter said, making for the bathroom.

Ava let out a sigh of relief when she saw Beatrice close the bathroom door.

“Dude you need to chill, why are you so bad at this? You’re an actress, you only have to act normal,” Camila said. “I can’t believe Ava Silva has zero game.”

“Excuse me?” Ava replied, mock offended. “I do have game. It’s just that I thought I was straight until less than a week ago.”

The other girl considered her words for a moment. “So, you met her not more than a week ago.”

‘Oops,’ Ava thought. She said too much once more. She really cannot be trusted with confidential matters. One more slip up and Mary’s going to shoot her.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask,” Camila replied. The pair sat in silence. Only the sound of the television show still flashing on the screen and the water from the shower hitting the floor was heard throughout the room. Ava decided to focus on the TV, trying to make out what she missed while she was chatting with the other girl a while ago.

“Hey, Camila, why were you asking about my game? I thought you wanted me to sort out that thing with my boyfriend first,” Ava asked as she squinted at the screen.

“You want Beatrice to know how you got it bad for her? She’s not stupid. She’ll figure it out. And if you haven’t decided what to do about JC until then well...,” Camila said.

“I’m fucked,” Ava continued.

“Just try to keep it cool for now, okay, until you figure out what you really want,” Camila said.

“Yeah, people have told me I have a real problem with that,” Ava replied. There it goes again, flight, not fight. 

Beatrice suddenly came out of the bathroom, her body wrapped in the white hotel towel and her hair already wet. 

“Sorry, I forgot to bring my pajamas in my rush to take a shower,” the fighter explained. She went to her side of the closet to pull out a pair of purple pajamas. The actress followed her with her eyes, her gaze trained on the well-lined muscles of her arms and shoulders, and the beads of water trailing down her sturdy calves. The fighter threw Ava a smile before returning to the bathroom.

Camila cleared her throat.

“What? I didn’t say anything,” Ava said.

“You were staring,” the other woman replied. “You’ve got to keep it together. You’re staying in the same room with her, for heaven’s sakes,” Camila said impatiently.

“It was your idea to have us sleep in the same room!” Ava retorted.

“You said it was the perfect alibi only yesterday,” Camila replied. “Now, it looks to me like you only plan to enjoy it without thinking about the consequences.”

“Fine! I’m selfish, alright, that’s just me, I do what’s best for Ava,” the actress said. “I’ll do the right thing this time, don’t worry.” 

“Just answer me this,” Ava added. “Is she single, though?”

Camila let out a tiny chuckle at the look of worry on Ava’s face. “Yeah, she is.”

“At least there’s that,” the actress replied.

“Well, it’s getting late, I have to go to bed now, we’re starting early tomorrow. There’s some press activity early in the morning so you better have a late breakfast if you don’t want to run into anyone from the media,” Camila said, standing up and stretching.

“Thanks for the heads up,” Ava replied. She stood up beside Camila and gave the girl a hug. The other woman was surprised. When the training season started, she had not expected to be hugging a Hollywood A-lister, but here she was, in Ava Silva’s warm arms. Camila returned the gesture.

“Thanks for hanging out with me, I really appreciate it,” Ava said.

“Of course, we should do it more often,’ Camila replied.

“No, you don’t understand. I don’t get to do this a lot, I don’t have that many friends,” the actress said, now holding the other woman at arm’s length. It was embarrassing for the actress to admit that, especially to Camila who seemed to think that she was really cool for being a Hollywood star. If the other woman found it odd, she made no mention of it.

“Then, I hope you can count me as one,” Camila said, smiling. The actress walked her new friend to the door. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Ava said.

“See you tomorrow. Goodnight,” Camila replied with a smile. 

When the actress shut the door behind her, Beatrice was already standing at the foot of her bed and was in her pajamas. 

“Hi,” Beatrice said. It was the first time they’ve been alone together since arriving at the camp.

“Hi,” Ava replied, approaching her neighbor. “How was your day?”

“Could be better. I was running on three hours of sleep,” Beatrice replied. “I, uh, missed you today. I’m no longer used to you not being around all the time.”

“Oh,” Ava replied. The actress felt her cheeks warming up. “I missed you a lot, too. I’m sorry I was not there to witness your training.”

“It’s okay, I know that’s not really your thing,” Beatrice said, dismissing Ava’s apology.

“Of course not, your thing is my thing, I told you I wanted to see you fight,” the actress said. She wanted to tell the fighter the real reason why she went MIA the entire day, of all the things Duretti told her. Shannon’s and Camila’s stories were not hers to tell, but she had experienced Duretti first hand. The actress clenched her fist and held her tongue as Shannon’s and Camila’s words echoed through her mind.

_‘I don’t know if she will believe me.’_

“You okay?” Beatrice said. “Wanna sit?” the fighter offered, pointing at Ava’s bed. The actress nodded and sat down with Beatrice on her own bed.

“Tell me about your day,” Beatrice said reaching for Ava’s knee with a hand. The actress’ skin tingled with the touch.

“Nothing much, I just found a grove just outside the camp to read,” Ava said, taking her Kindle out of her hoodie’s pocket. “And then Camila found me in the afternoon and we’ve been hanging out in this room until you found us.”

“You like the Kindle Camila got for you?” Beatrice asked.

“Oh, you have no idea, Beatrice. Thank you, really, for thinking about this. It brought me back to the day my dad bought me one as a present so that I could pass time reading books in between takes of _Like Father, Like Daughters_ ,” Ava started.

“Wait,” Beatrice replied. “You were on _Like Father, Like Daughters_? The sitcom?”

“Yes, I was, for many years,” Ava explained, but Beatrice fingers hovered just above her face, tracing her features in the air.

“You were Charlotte, the youngest daughter in the show!” Beatrice exclaimed in awe when the realization hit her. 

“Yes, I played Charlotte,” Ava confirmed. The fighter was speechless, and the actress observed her eyes gradually redden, tears starting to pool around the edges.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Ava asked, reaching out for Beatrice' hand. The fighter allowed her hand to be held, and the actress intertwined her fingers with her neighbor’s

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ava asked.

“Nothing, it’s fine,” Beatrice replied, shaking her head.

“Knowing that I played the youngest daughter in a 2000s family sitcom making you cry is nothing?” Ava prodded.

Beatrice took a deep breath before starting.

“It’s just, my whole life, I’ve always felt alone. But more so during my childhood. I wish I had friends, or the older sisters Charlotte had. I was the same age as your character was, growing up. There were many nights, staring at my television screen, that I would pretend that I was going to Charlotte’s school, or I was staying at her house so we could be friends and that she’d introduce me to her older sisters. Charlotte was my gateway to that world, to a family, even though it was all pretend,” Beatrice explained.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Ava replied, stroking Beatrice’ hand with her thumb.

“Don’t be. You made it possible for me to dream of something more,” Beatrice replied, squeezing Ava’s hand back. “I felt such a strong affinity towards your character, a connection, and it killed me when they had your character move to a different state, together with your eldest sister.”

“Yeah, we got written off at the same time,” Ava replied. That season ended up being the show’s last. It just was not the same without the youngest and the oldest daughter. She stared at Beatrice, who began wiping the tears on her face with a swipe of a finger. The actress bit her lip, considering.

“You want to know why I’m hesitant to be a state witness?” Ava started. 

“Only if you want to tell me,” Beatrice replied.

“Because I know the consequences,” Ava started. She saw Beatrice stare at her with soft eyes, urging her to go on. “Nobody knows this aside from my parents. When I was twelve, the cast was touring the country to promote the show in-between seasons. We were in Texas when it happened. I was with my parents in the hotel we were staying at, but some nights, I would sleepover in Blaire’s room, the actress who played my eldest sister?” Ava looked at the fighter to confirm whether she recalled.

“I didn’t know the names of the actors, but I remember she played Michelle,” Beatrice responded. Ava nodded and continued.

“We were really close. She was an older sister to me in more ways than one. It was our last night in Houston, I was hiding under the bed, waiting for her to return so that I could scare her. I loved to prank Blaire,” Ava said, smiling at the memory. “Blaire returned ten minutes later, but she was not alone. She was followed by a man who had a voice that I recognized belonged to one of our top producers, Mark Boone. They were going to have drinks in Blaire’s room to celebrate the success of the tour. She was twenty-two at that time, she could legally drink. She gets to hang out with the adults in production because they treated her like one.”

“It was Mark who was insisting on drinking. I heard Blaire say she only wanted a light beer, but Mark managed to make her drink something stronger. I know from the tone of Blaire’s voice that she only drank what was in the glass in order to get rid of Mark quicker. I recognized that tone because she would sometimes use that with me when I was being my annoying self,” Ava continued.

“And then what happened next still haunts me to this day. Blaire complained of nausea and asked Mark to leave so she could go to bed. I was about to get out from under the bed to help her, but Mark was already standing at the foot of the bed. He deposited Blaire on the mattress. And then the bed was shaking, and Blaire was crying out, but her voice grew weaker by the second. I knew what was happening, I was not naive. I couldn’t do anything to help her,” Ava said, her voice shaking. Beatrice' grip on her hand grew tighter.

“I hid under the bed all night, even after Mark left. I only got out of the room after Blaire left as well. I was tired and I haven’t had any sleep, but I immediately went to the other producer on the tour with us. I was not able to help Blaire the night before so I swore to myself I was going to tell someone else so they could do something about it. He laughed it off, told me that Mark Boone was a respected person in the TV industry and that if I still wanted a long career ahead of me, I would stop making up stories since I was already almost a teenager. I thought they just didn’t believe in children,” Ava said, swallowing a lump in her throat.

“Turns out, they just don’t believe women. That executive called on Blaire to confirm my story, which she did. And then he got mad at her, telling her not to teach children how to lie, how she was being a bad influence on me and my career. And then he just dismissed us. Just like that, we were written off of the next season. They shot us in the pilot moving to another state with our mom, never to be heard of in the show again,” Ava recounted. “The day we shot the pilot was the last time I ever spoke to Blaire. She thanked me for what I did for her and said she hoped she could repay me someday. I didn’t understand that because I was not able to do anything for her at all. Blaire’s offers dried up after that, and she left show business. Until now, I still wonder, had I kept my mouth shut, would Blaire still have a career? Would she grow up to be the seasoned actress I had always thought she could be?”

“It was all my fault, Beatrice, I ruined Blaire’s career, and I will ruin many others’ if I take the stand,” Ava said. Beatrice moved nearer the actress, taking her into her own arms. Ava closed her eyes as she rested her head on her neighbor’s chest, once more taking in the faint smell of chai.

“It’s not your fault Ava, it was Mark’s, and all the other people who failed to protect you,” Beatrice said, rubbing her hand across the actress' back.

“No one backed me up, Beatrice. I was twelve. I felt so alone. My parents, my agent, the other cast members, they were so mad at me. Nobody believed me,” Ava continued. 

“You’re not alone now, Ava, not anymore. You have me and Mary on your side,” Beatrice replied. The actress sat up straight to look at her friend. Her eyes looked earnest, as her fingers moved gently to wipe the tears from the actress’ eyes.

“You believe me?” Ava asked, needing the answer to come from the fighter’s lips.

“You know I do. I will always believe you, Ava,” Beatrice replied. The actress chuckled.

“You don’t know how much I needed to hear that,” Ava said. “Mary’s gut says that your heart is in the right place.”

“That’s very kind of her,” Beatrice replied. The fighter’s finger, which a few seconds ago was wiping tears off Ava’s face, lingered at her cheek, stroking the skin there. The actress saw her neighbor’s pupils dilate, saw the eyes dart to her own lips, saw how the fighter’s throat moved up and down as she swallowed a lump in her throat.

A different kind of courage, one she has never experienced before, swelled within Ava’s heart. Suddenly, Beatrice’ lips were dry and inviting. Suddenly, they have parted and only a few inches away from hers. The actress did not know how this happened, did not observe how their upper bodies suddenly started moving towards each other. Ava placed both hands on each of her neighbor’s arms, fearing that she was slowly falling into those hazel eyes of hers, accelerating to the pull of Beatrice’ gravity.

The fighter’s lips were now only an inch away from hers that the actress could already feel their warmth, could almost taste the moisture as her neighbor licked them. It would only take one more surge of courage from Ava, just one small nudge to finally bridge the gap. Around her, the universe was silent. Inside her, her heart throbbed against her chest like a sledgehammer, pumping blood into her veins in torrential flows, heating her skin up that she felt feverish. Just one more ounce of bravery. Just one more drop of valor.

It was over even before it could start. She felt Beatrice’ hand on her chest, just beneath her left shoulder, slightly pushing her away. The fighter’s pupils returned to their normal size, and her expression was unreadable. There was a smile on her face like she was at peace, and her mouth let out a small chuckle.

“Goodnight, Ava,” Beatrice said, smiling before she placed a light kiss on the actress’ cheek. Ava felt the air leave her lungs at the contact.

“Goodnight, Beatrice,” Ava replied. She placed her finger on the spot her neighbor’s lips graced just a few seconds ago. Beatrice walked to her mattress and turned off the lights.

Ava laid down in bed, facing away from her friend. She had no idea what was going on in the fighter’s mind, but she was grateful that she stopped the kiss from happening. Camila was right. She didn’t know what she wanted then. 

But she was a different person from who she was merely seconds ago. She now knew what she wanted. Her one ounce of courage may not be enough to bridge the gap between their lips, but it gave her the strength she needed to walk into the unknown of wanting Beatrice without hurting anyone else but herself.

She took her phone from underneath her pillow to send a message.

_‘JC, can I call? There’s something I need to tell you.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not expect this chapter to be this long. Please leave comments!


	6. Leaders are Made

“Hey baby, can you tell me what’s going on? Bryan told me you made him pick you up in Vegas but you didn’t show up. Where are you, really?” Ava heard JC say over her phone’s speaker. It took thirty minutes after she sent that text for her boyfriend to call. The actress had to rush outside the room so that she would not disturb Beatrice who was already fast asleep. Ava paced just outside the elevator doors that lead to their floor with her phone against her ear.

“JC, there’s something that you need to know,” Ava started.

“Are you in trouble, baby?” JC asked, a worried tone in his voice.

“I can’t tell you that,” Ava replied.

“I’m arriving back in California in a few days, we’ll fix this, whatever this is,” JC said.

“I’m not in California, JC, I told you I'm off to Brazil,” Ava replied.

“Somehow, I feel like you're not telling the truth. Is this some clause in your NDA? Because I assure you, I wouldn’t tell a single soul. I’m your boyfriend, you can trust me,” JC said, a hint of pleading in his voice.

“No, it’s not that. There are a lot of things I can’t tell you. I think that’s the point. You don’t know me. We’ve been together for three years and you still don’t know who I am,” Ava took a deep breath. “That’s not on you. I’m still discovering things about myself. But I don’t think I want to share those with you anymore.”

“What do you mean, Ava?” JC asked. No pet names, the man finally caught on that the actress was being serious.

“I think we need to break up, JC,” Ava dropped the bomb.

“Ava...Is this about me being away all the time?” JC asked.

“You know I’m also away most of the time. I don’t exactly wait around for you,” Ava replied.

“Still, making you miss me all the time is not fair, I know -” JC started.

“That’s the point, JC. I don’t miss you even if you’ve been away for months. I haven’t for a while,” Ava confessed. JC was silent from the other end.

“I’m sorry, JC. I don’t want to be with someone I only think about when they’re in front of me. I want to feel the hurt of being separated from the person I love, the hole in my soul that they leave behind when they’re not around. I want to experience those things because I’m still young and I don’t want to settle for someone who can’t make my heart hammer through my chest when they’re near or ache when they’re away,” Ava explained.

“You're being poetic right now, it's like I hardly know you," JC tried to joke but the actress did not laugh.

"Ava, I’ll be in California in a few days, we can sort this out, you can tell me all these things in person and see if you still feel the same way by that time,” JC reasoned more seriously.

“JC, I told you I’m not in California. Were you even listening?” Ava asked.

“I’m sorry. I just want us to fix whatever this is,” JC replied.

“I should be the one apologizing. I no longer want to sort this out. I’m sorry,” Ava said.

“I can take a studio job then I won’t have to travel as much, I have several offers,” JC pleaded.

“I wouldn’t want to do that to you, JC, I know how much you love your job right now. I know you wouldn’t do that to me either,” Ava replied. “Please, the sooner we end this, the sooner we get over each other.”

“But Ava, three years...,” JC started.

“I don’t regret a single moment of it. You were kind and understanding and more than I could ever ask for, honestly,” Ava replied. “Just no longer what I am asking for.”

“Ava...,” JC pleaded.

“Thank you for everything. I’m really sorry, JC,” Ava said before hanging up. It was the surest thing the actress has ever done. She hated that she probably hurt JC, but for the first time in her life, she knew what she wanted.

She wanted to pine for Beatrice freely, wanted to yearn, wanted her heart to hurt from wanting what she does not know if she could have. She was finally sure in wanting the unsure if it meant a slight hope of being with Beatrice, of having the right to miss her, of having a slight chance of the fighter filling the hole in her heart. She was ready to experience in its entirety this curious feeling of wanting. She was ready to fight.

Ava stifled a yawn.

She was ready to sleep as well.

The actress approached the door to their room and tapped the key card against the panel, unlocking it. She padded softly on the wooden floor towards her bed. The silence in the room was punctuated only by her neighbor’s soft fatigued snores. Ava settled on her mattress, feeling the weight of a burden lifted from her shoulders only to be replaced by another.

She laid down in bed facing Beatrice. The phone in her hand was still vibrating, JC was calling her over and over. She turned off the feature and placed the burner under her pillow.

She was ready for the burden of wanting Beatrice. Her one ounce of courage gave her the strength to bear that feeling in her heart. With that thought, Ava slowly fell asleep.

xxx

The next morning, the actress woke up at her usual time at seven, but Beatrice was already nowhere to be found. She remembered Camila mentioning that there was a press activity early in the day, so Ava had an idea what her neighbor was doing. She rose and got ready, intending to get some reading done in their room before going down for breakfast in order to avoid the media.

She was skimming through books on Amazon, her feet up the living room couch when Camila rang the bell two hours later.

“Hey,” Camila greeted the actress as Ava opened the door for her. “Hungry?”

“Yup,” Ava replied.

“Come on, there’s still some waffles left,” Camila said. Ava stepped out of the room with her friend and followed her to the elevator.

“You didn’t have to fetch me, you know, I could give you my number,” Ava replied.

“You would give me your number?” Camila asked, surprised.

“Of course. You’re my friend,” Ava said. “Right?” she confirmed.

“Right!” Camila said, giving the actress a huge grin before looping her arm at the crook of Ava’s elbow as they stepped into the lobby of the hotel.

The actress piled waffles on her plate and approached Camila who was already seated at a table at the far end of the mess hall, two steaming mugs of coffee in front of her.

“You’re not eating?” Ava asked as she took her first bite.

“Already did, before the presscon,” Camila replied.

“I told you, I don’t need a babysitter,” Ava said.

“Beatrice is already training, I’m not really needed there and I love hanging out with you. What, you want me to chat up her sparring partners on standby?” Camila chuckled.

“Just yesterday you told me they looked _oh so fine_ ,” Ava mimicked her friend’s voice. “Your words, not mine.”

“To look at, yeah,” Camila replied. “Don’t expect me to maintain a conversation with those men. I can have patience, but I have my limits.”

“No wonder you’ve veered away from men,” Camila added, teasing the actress.

“Oh, shut up,” Ava replied. “You warn me about pining after Beatrice but you, my friend, are an enabler of my feelings. Besides, bisexuality exists, I just never thought of it for myself.”

“I’m sorry,” Camila said.

“I was kidding,” Ava replied. “I kinda like it. Which brings me...I think you should be the first to know, although I don’t know who else I can tell.”

“What is it?” Camila replied. The actress knew that her interest was piqued, the girl loved gossip after all.

“I broke up with JC last night,” Ava said. The other girl gasped.

“You really did it, no more Java? Oh my god! I can’t believe I was the first to know and I can’t tell anyone,” Camila said. “Are you okay, though?”

“Yes, I am. Quite happy about it, actually, which makes me feel guilty. JC did not take it well and I hate being the asshole,” Ava replied. “I can’t even tell him why I had to do it over the phone and not when I see him because I don’t know when I’ll see him. He doesn’t even know where I am.”

“Hmmm, I think that has to do with how you got entangled with Bea in the first place so I’m not going to ask, but yay!” Camila said. “You’re now free to pine after her. I guess, congratulations?”

Ava gave her friend a weak smile. “It’s a decision I made, I cannot keep one of them while wanting another. I’m learning all about this not being selfish thing.”

“Here’s to growth,” Camila said, holding her coffee cup up. Ava held hers up as well and clinked it against her friend’s mug.

“Well, you should go see Bea train, you missed it yesterday,” Camila suggested.

“I don’t know, I kinda don’t want to see Duretti,” Ava reasoned.

“Oh come on, what’s he going to do when Beatrice is around?” Camila replied.

“It’s not just that. I don’t know how things are between me and Beatrice right now, it might be awkward and she might get distracted,” Ava said.

“Awkward why? Did something else happen?” Camila pried.

“We kind of...almost kissed last night,” Ava replied softly.

“You did what?!” Camila gasped.

“Hey shhh,” Ava said when she noticed that several heads turned their way.

“I did not know how it happened, alright? I was just telling Beatrice some childhood story and the next thing I know, our faces were only an inch apart and, well, I was glad Beatrice was thinking clearly and stopped it before it could happen because I certainly would not have been able to control myself,” Ava replied.

“Whew!” Camila replied, wiping a bead of sweat on her forehead.

“Well, what can you say?” Ava asked.

“Thank god Bea was being Bea and thinking clearly. But it’s okay, you’re only human,” Camila said, her voice comforting.

“Don’t tell her I told you about this,” Ava said.

“‘Course not, your secret is safe with me,” Camila said. “But I’m glad you told me. I know I told you that Bea tells me everything, but not this.”

“Which is why I think you should see Bea train, you can’t hide away in your room forever. I imagine it would be more awkward if the next time you see each other after the almost kiss is in your room, alone. At least in the dojo, people would be around you,” Camila reasoned.

Ava considered it for a moment. “Okay, that makes sense. Let’s go.”

xxx

Ava and Camila had to walk up a rocky hill to reach the first dojo. It was a spacious hallway, with huge windows across the walls to let the sunlight in. There was a long table filled with snacks and a cooler beside a water fountain all pushed against one of the walls.

On the floor were three huge, white, square, rubber mats. Beatrice was already lying down in the middle one wearing only her sports bra and a pair of yoga shorts. Another girl was there with her beating her stomach with a black wooden stick. Duretti and several others from the coaching team were standing around the edge of the mat and observing, with some taking notes. The head coach stared at the actress as she entered the dojo. Ava chose to ignore him, approaching Shannon instead who stood at the edge of the mat opposite Duretti.

“What’s happening here? That looks painful,” Ava asked, her brows furrowed. Shannon gave the actress a tiny smile in return.

“This exercise is meant to train Beatrice to get desensitized to pain. It’s all on the surface of the skin, don’t worry, we won’t actually injure her,” the assistant coach replied.

“Ooh!” Ava reacted when she heard Beatrice whimper. Duretti glared at her from across the mat.

“She did tell you about her old rib injury that recently got reactivated, right?” Ava asked.

“Yes, we’re careful not to hit her on her left side, don’t worry,” Shannon replied.

Beatrice took a few more minutes of beating before Duretti called for a break. The fighter got up and approached Ava, and Shannon left the two alone. The actress took a gulp and looked around to search for Camila for backup, but she found the girl deep in conversation with one of the members of Beatrice’ team.

‘She tells me it’s better to see Beatrice now because at least there’s going to be people around us but she leaves me to deal with this alone?’ Ava huffed to herself.

“Hey, you came,” Beatrice greeted her with a smile, the corners of her lips tugging ever so slightly upward. Someone threw Beatrice a yellow towel and she caught it with one hand all while staring at Ava. Sweat was dripping along the fighter’s long neck and down to line her sternum. Her face was flushed and vibrant, and some of her raven hair stuck out of her ponytail in different directions. The actress thought it would be awkward the moment they meet again after they almost kissed last night, but it looked like it was just her. If Beatrice felt something else other than normal, she didn’t show it.

The fighter was getting closer, her chai scent only amplified by her evaporating sweat. The actress felt backed away into a corner. No flight, nor fight. The only Ava thing left to do was to treat the situation as a joke.

“Why? Did you miss me? Wasn’t able to get your kiss last night so you’re hoping I’ll give it to you now if you do well in training?” Ava tried to tease Beatrice. The fighter smirked and there was a dark look on her face that the actress has never seen before.

“If I had kissed you last night, you wouldn’t have been able to handle it,” Beatrice replied, her body almost pressed to the front of the actress, the heat from her pores causing Ava’s own glands to break into a sweat.

Ava’s mouth ran dry and she couldn’t find her voice. She took a step back to cool off and coughed.

“I’m uh. Step out. Air. Outside. I need air,” Ava said incoherently. Beatrice laughed and pushed the actress lightly on the same spot on her chest as she did last night.

“That’s one point for me,” Beatrice said, winking. She turned away from Ava to speak with Shannon.

‘What the fuck did I just get myself into?’ Ava thought. She walked quickly to the doors of the dojo to try and grab some fresh air. Camila was standing by the wall adjacent to the door, drinking her tea.

“What’s up?” Camila asked.

“Nothing uh, just running away from Beatrice,” Ava replied.

“Good luck,” Camila said with a knowing smile.

Once outside, she saw a patch of oak trees a few meters away from the dojo that looked like a good place to hide. She settled her back against one of the trunks and let out a deep breath.

‘Beatrice remembered the almost kiss! I wasn’t imagining it!,’ she thought to herself.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice it, you’ve been hitting Beatrice only on her right side!” Ava heard a man shout a few minutes later from a few meters away. Ava turned and saw that it was Duretti, talking to the girl who the actress recognized was the one who was tasked to beat Beatrice with the stick. They were in conversation outside the dojo, just by the closed door.

“Coach Shannon said that Beatrice has an old injury on her left rib so she told me to avoid it,” the girl explained.

“Nonsense! That injury would still be there on fight night, she should learn how to deal with it now. That’s what we are training her for. The real situation! All you girls know is play-acting! Well, I’m not that kind of coach. I’ll make a real sport out of this farce!” Duretti replied.

“If Beatrice gets injured, the training schedule will be pushed further back. Coach Shannon was just trying to avoid that,” the girl reasoned.

“Shannon is assistant coach, I am head coach! She is a woman, I am a man! You listen to me, not to her!” Duretti said.

“But -” the girl started once again.

“One more word and I will fire you! You’re replaceable. What’s your skill anyway, beating surfaces with sticks?” Duretti threatened the girl. “Stupid girl, can’t even follow simple instructions.”

“I’m a certified personal trainer,” the girl answered.

“What’s that?” Duretti dared her.

“Nothing, coach,” she replied.

The girl turned silent. It sounded to Ava like the fight was knocked out of her.

“Now go back inside and do as I say. And don’t breathe a word about this to anyone, most especially Shannon, or I’ll come and get you,” Duretti said.

Ava saw Duretti and the girl enter the dojo once more, the girl’s head hanging low. The actress sprinted for the door, wanting to warn Shannon about what Duretti was about to do. When she got back inside the dojo, Beatrice was already back on the mat and the other girl towered over her figure with the wooden stick in her hand. The crowd had gathered around them along the edges of the mat.

The actress looked around in search of the assistant coach but she was nowhere to be found.

“Hey, Camila,” Ava said, jogging up next to her friend. “Where’s Shannon?”

“She went to the boxing gym to prepare it for the sparring session,” Camila replied.

“I did not see her leave the dojo,” Ava said.

“She went through the back door, the gym is just at the back,” Camila replied. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“We need to stop the training. Duretti is planning on doing something that might harm Beatrice,” Ava replied breathlessly.

“Stop him? You’re kidding, right? You want him to get more mad at you?” Camila reasoned.

“You don’t understand -” Ava started.

“SILENCE!” Duretti shouted from across the mat.

The girl began hitting Beatrice on the stomach with the stick but only on her right side. Ava clung to Camila’s arm as she watched, hopeful that the girl would not do as Duretti told her. The head coach's lips were pursed and he was glaring at the girl with the stick. He crossed his arms over his chest. He was obviously dissatisfied and was quickly losing his temper.

Ava saw it in slow motion. The girl with the stick took a glance at Duretti, and the man nodded at her. She then tapped Beatrice’ left side with the stick. It was only a light tap and the actress was relieved. Next, she saw Duretti turn red and send a death stare the girl’s way. Ava saw her raise the stick higher and hit Beatrice harder on the left side.

“NO!” Ava yelled.

The fighter’s eyes grew wide at the surprise of the blow. The actress knew that she was not anticipating it, that until that moment, she felt safe in exposing her body to the brutal training because she knew that her team would take care of her. Ava saw a green vein pop across Beatrice’ forehead as she keeled, gasping for air.

“Beatrice!” Shannon, who the actress did not notice had returned, was there first by Beatrice side. She rubbed the fighter’s back, urging her to breathe. Someone yelled for a stretcher. Ava was rooted on her spot as she watched the team scramble to try and help the fighter. She saw Duretti take the girl with the stick by the arm and drag her to a wall, in front of the large windows. He began berating the girl too loudly for everyone to hear. The actress knew right then that it was just for show. If there was something Ava knew, it was bad acting.

Someone brought the stretcher in and Ava watched as the team carefully lifted Beatrice on top of it. She had her hand on top of her left rib, just like she had after the scuffle at the Nevada gas station.

“I hope she didn’t break a rib,” Camila, who was almost in tears, said. She held Ava’s hand as they followed the team outside the dojo through the back door.

The facility’s clinic was just beside the boxing gym. The ward had six beds, an x-ray room, and an area for physical therapy. There was a doctor on duty but Beatrice had her own sports physician on her team. They laid the fighter down on a bed and a nurse took her vitals as they waited for the team’s doctor.

Ava approached the fighter’s bed and the rest of the team took a step back to give the two privacy.

“How are you feeling?” Ava asked, a worried tone in her voice. She saw Beatrice struggle to give her a smile.

“Like I’ve been to hell and back,” Beatrice replied, and then smirking, “Don’t worry, I’ll live. You might still get your kiss.

“I, uh. Uhm,” the actress was once more at a loss for words as she felt a blush creeping up her face. It took a few moments before she realized that the fighter was once again teasing her.

“Two points for Beatrice,” the fighter said, chuckling. Ava punched her lightly on the arm.

“How could you be thinking about these things?” Ava asked.

“If making you blush is wrong, then I don’t want to be right,” Beatrice said.

“Since when did these words come out of your mouth?” Ava asked. The fighter gave the actress a thoughtful look, seeming to consider the question for a moment.

Finally, she answered, “I feel different when you’re around.”

Ava smiled, the same shit-eating grin she thought would break her face that she had last night when Beatrice called her her favorite person.

“I should count that as another point for me, but I think I’ll let you catch up,” Beatrice chuckled and Ava punched her lightly on the arm once more. They held each other’s gaze for a few seconds before the actress spoke once again.

“Seriously. I’m worried about you. I hate seeing you all battered up like this,” Ava said, taking Beatrice’ hand and stroking it. The fighter laced her fingers with hers.

“This is my job. This is what makes me happy. I have given up and will give up a lot of things to do this job,” Beatrice replied.

“I know,” Ava said, squeezing her hand.

The team doctor arrived momentarily. He was a middle-aged man who looked a little younger than Duretti, taller and well built. He shooed everyone away into the waiting room, asking for space to work. Ava walked with the others out of the ward with an arm around Camila and the group gathered around the waiting room. The actress noticed that the crowd had thinned. The others excused themselves from Shannon to do other tasks. It was just Ava, Camila, Shannon, and the girl with the stick who remained. Duretti was nowhere to be found.

“What happened, Sarah? I specifically told you not to hit her on that side,” Shannon spoke to the girl, who was already crying, on one side. Ava sat on the gray couch of the waiting room beside Camila, listening.

“It’s Duretti, I tried to reason with him that Beatrice had an injury in that area, that was why I was avoiding it, but he insisted that I do it. He even threatened to fire me if I didn’t,” Sarah replied.

“How could it be Duretti? I heard how he was so mad at you after what happened,” Shannon said.

“It’s all acting. Very bad acting,” Ava interjected.

“Ava, I know you’re mad at the man but it’s difficult to make these accusations without proof,” Shannon replied.

“You don’t believe me, coach?” Sarah said weakly.

“Of course I believe you. It’s just that it’s your word against Duretti’s,” Shannon replied sadly.

“It won’t have to be only your word,” Ava said, standing up.“I heard everything. I was outside when Duretti told you to hit Beatrice on her left, and you didn’t want to do it. I’ll back you up.”

“Ava, you know how I stand on this issue. If I go against Duretti, I might get kicked out of the team, I can’t protect Beatrice,” Shannon said.

“Listen to yourself, Shannon. How is this protecting Beatrice? She’s already been hurt. We’ve already seen what Duretti’s disregard for her well-being could do. It can cost her not just this fight, but her entire career,” Ava reasoned.

“Beatrice would believe her coach over anyone,” Shannon replied.

Ava closed her eyes, remembering the fighter’s words from last night.

_I will always believe you._

It was a promise that had meant a lot for her when it came out of her mouth. Now was the time to hold Beatrice to it.

“Even over her girlfriend?” Ava said. Camila stared at the actress with a puzzled look on her face, but she was the only person in the room who knew who the actress really was to the fighter.

Shannon seemed to consider what Ava said.

“Please, Shannon, you know it’s the right thing to do,” Ava pleaded.

After a while, the assistant coach nodded. “Okay. But the only way we could do it is if we do it together. We reveal everything that Duretti has done, try to call on other witnesses to strengthen our case. It’s now or never.”

“Right on,” Ava said excitedly, rubbing her palms together.

“Camila, you know everything that’s going on in this camp. Can you gather the girls who have something to say about Duretti, and their witnesses? Let’s meet in my room this afternoon,” Shannon said.

“Okay. I have my own story to share as well,” Camila replied, now standing up, her chest swelling with courage.

“Now that’s a plan,” Ava remarked.

The group fleshed out some of the other details of their scheme. Camila gave them names of people in the camp they should reach out to, those who might be unwilling, and those who might spread the word even before they could talk to Beatrice.

After some time, the doctor stepped out into the waiting room to join the group. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

“How is she, doctor?” Shannon said, approaching the physician.

“She’ll be fine, nothing’s broken. It’s just an active injury area, it should not have been beaten like that,” the doctor said, staring at Sarah. “I’m going to order an x-ray and make some observations in the therapy room, but so far I think the area is just inflamed and irritated. I already gave her some anti-inflammatories.”

“But what about her training?” Shannon asked.

“I’m ordering that she take the day off,” the doctor said. “And minimize contact with the area for at least a week. That means no sparring. Unless you can control your people, Shannon.”

“We’re less than four weeks away from fight night,” Camila said.

“We’ll just have to be creative, make up for the missed sparring sessions by developing her skills and defense technique,” Shannon thought out loud.

“I’ll just send her up to her room when I’m done with my examination. You can all leave now,” the doctor barked. The nurse ushered the group out of the clinic.

“That doctor doesn’t seem to be very friendly,” Ava remarked.

“Dr. Washington is very strict, but he can work miracles like Mr. Miyagi. Expect Beatrice to be able to spar in three days' time,” Shannon said. She looked at her wristwatch. “Hey, it’s almost time for lunch. Why don’t we split up, get something to eat, and then meet up in my room at around three? Camila, I trust you would have brought the others with you.”

Camila nodded and placed her arm around Ava’s shoulder. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

Ava marched back with her friend to the hotel, her steps almost skipping. Shannon and Sarah walked back to the dojo to see if the team has left any equipment there.

“You seem happy?” Camila remarked.

“It’s just that I’ve never been part of any plan like this before. I feel so badass,” Ava replied with a grin. “Taking down the patriarchy, getting Duretti’s ass handed to him.”

“You’re not just part of the plan, Ava. You’re our leader. We wouldn’t have the courage without you.” Camila said.

“Well, I’m not happy that we have to do this. But I am happy that we are finally doing this,” Ava replied with a smile.

xxx

That lunch break was the busiest Ava has ever seen the mess hall. She and Camila were in line at the buffet and half of the tables were already occupied by people in the same yellow shirts. Many heads turned the actress’ way, and those who happened to walk near her _by accident_ said hello enthusiastically. Ava smiled back.

“Hey, Camila, you should get me one of those shirts. I feel so out of place,” Ava said.

“Sure, I have plenty in my room, I’ll give you a few pieces later,” Camila replied. Ava noticed that the food spread on the buffet table was labeled the calorie and macro count per serving. There were different types of carbohydrates: potatoes and rice, meats cooked in different ways, and a mountain of steamed vegetables.

“Camila, why don’t they put the calorie count for breakfast as well?” Ava asked as she placed a roasted chicken leg and piled Brussel sprouts on her plate.

“Oh, of course, they do. You just eat breakfast so late that they’ve probably already removed the labels,” Camila replied as she searched for a table. Ava was already walking with her tray to an empty spot beside the windows when the other girl took her by the crook of her elbow.

“We should sit with them,” Camila said, gesturing to a group of girls that sat in the middle of the mess hall. “They once told me about their encounters with Duretti, we can start by talking to them,” she whispered. Ava nodded and followed her friend to the table.

“Hi, guys! Got room for us?” Camila greeted the girls. Their eyes went wide at the sight of Ava and they immediately made room for the newcomers. Ava sat beside two of the girls, while Camila sat across her.

“Everyone, this is Ava, she’s Beatrice’ guest in our camp,” Camila introduced the actress. The girls smiled shyly as Ava shook the hand of each.

“Ava, these are May and Pauline,” Camila said, pointing to the two brunette girls beside the actress. “And this one here is Georgie.”

“Hi, nice to meet all of you,” Ava greeted the trio. “Your hair looks really nice, is yours naturally wavy like that?” Ava asked Georgie, the only blonde girl in the group. The actress knew that throwing a compliment was a great technique to get people to open up. Besides, the girl’s hair indeed looked marvelous.

“No, I actually get up an hour early every day to get it all done,” Georgie replied shyly.

“Oh, you did a wonderful job,” Ava said. “You should teach me how to do that sometime. My hair is all over the place most of the time, I usually need an entire team to tame it.”

“Oh, okay! You can drop by our room, or I can drop by yours after training hours,” Georgie replied.

“It’s a date then,” Ava said. Camila observed the conversation with a smile on her face.

“Listen, there’s something that Ava and I need to ask you,” Camila started. “Remember what you told me about Coach Duretti?”

The three looked at one another, before throwing a wary glance at Ava.

“Don’t worry, I’m on your side. You know I’m not an ordinary friend of Beatrice, right?” Ava said.

“Yeah, we heard you were her girlfriend, which I found odd. I thought you were with that cute photographer with the mole on his face. I didn’t know you were not straight,” Pauline replied.

“As it’s not our business to know,” Camila said, glaring at the girl.

“Well, JC and I are no longer together,” Ava said to cut the tension, thanking god that that was true.

“Anything that you learn about Ava here in the camp is subject of your NDA, don’t forget,” Camila reminded the three.

“Of course,” Pauline said.

“All Camila was saying was that, you could trust me. I’m on your side,” Ava said.

“On the side of what?” Pauline replied suspiciously.

“Look, you know what happened to Beatrice during training earlier?” Camila asked.

“Yes, the news spread like wildfire,” Georgie said. “Sarah said it was Duretti who told her to do it. We believe her. Who else would come up with that terrible plan? Now, I heard that he will send her packing.”

“It’s Duretti’s decision, I feel sorry for her. I liked her,” May said. “But who can do anything about it? Not even Coach Shannon.”

“Sure, Shannon can do something about it,” Camila said. “And me.”

“And me,” Ava added.

“And you three,” Camila continued.

“Listen, here’s the plan,” Ava started, and all four girls leaned in.

xxx

“What’s the worst that could happen? Beatrice doesn’t believe us and then what? She won’t inform Duretti, she’s not like that,” Camila said.

“No one is going to lose their jobs. This is why we are telling Beatrice without Duretti around. She’s not going to sell you out,” Ava reasoned. She, Camila, the trio from the cafeteria, andone other girl named Mia were all gathered in Shannon’s room on the third floor of the hotel. The girls sat on Shannon’s bed, looking up at Ava and Camila who were standing in front of them. Beatrice had just sent her assistant a text message telling her that she had been sent up to her room.

“Okay, it’s now or never. We are less than four weeks away from fight night and nothing else could go wrong. Let’s get rid of our head coach,” Shannon said, standing up. The group followed her to the entrance of the room and the assistant coach turned the knob, opening the door for the girls before stepping out herself.

Ava led the group, marching for the elevator with a grin on her face. Camila jogged up to her friend.

“Can you at least pretend that nothing is up? You look so ready and happy to go to war,” Camila whispered.

“What? I am your leader! This is me leading you,” Ava said, glancing at the girls behind her as she led them through the hallway of the hotel. She saw Shannon shake her head, but all of the others giggled to themselves.

“Testimonies, witnesses, maybe I’ll take up law after this,” Ava said. “Or quicker, I’ll audition for that legal drama they’ve been wanting me to look at!”

“TV? It’s too early in your career. You’re a movie star,” Camila replied.

“I was a TV star, Camila, when I was a child,” Ava corrected. “I was on _Like Father, Like Daughters_ ,” the actress watched as Camila’s face was awash with realization.

“Oh my god, that’s like, Beatrice’ favorite show! She tells me about it all the time, she said she loved all the older sisters!” Camila said. “And your character, of course!” she added when she saw the look on the actress’ face.

Ava stopped walking and stared at her friend with an unreadable expression. Camila reached out for her hand, but it was only when her friend looked like she was about to cry that the actress broke her resolve and cracked in laughter. The other girls giggled with her.

“Oh, you’re cruel! You were teasing me!” Camila said, slapping her arm.

“I feel just like I’m back with my sisters again,” Ava said, throwing an arm around Camila’s and Shannon’s shoulders.

xxx

Ava opened the door to hers and Beatrice’ room with her keycard. She saw Beatrice sprawled on the king bed. The fighter had changed into a large white shirt and a pair of shorts. The actress saw that she was wearing the AMDA shirt that she had her borrow when the fighter spent that night in her house in Malibu, and Ava’s heart melted.

“Hey,” Ava greeted her neighbor as she approached the bed.

“Hi,” Beatrice smiled weekly. I hope you don’t mind that I’m lying down on your bed? It’s kind of difficult to get up and lie back down on a mattress on the floor.”

“Of course, we could exchange beds,” Ava replied.

“There’s no need, it’s just at least for this afternoon, Beatrice replied. “Hey, you left the door open,” Beatrice said, pointing to the door.

“Oh, there are uh, people who want to talk to you,” Ava said. “Actually, we wanted to talk to you.”

That was the cue for the girls to come in. Shannon and Camila entered the room, together with the four other girls they had managed to convince to speak up.

“Oh hi, what’s up?” Beatrice said before wincing. “Camila, could you please...?”

“I’m on it,” Ava replied immediately. She was at the fighter’s side in an instant. “What do you need?”

“The ice pack, in the fridge,” Beatrice replied. The actress dashed to the kitchen to obtain the item in question.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” Beatrice asked as she tried to sit up. She settled her back against the wooden headboard of the bed.

“Sarah, do you want to start?” Shannon said.

“If you were going to apologize, let me tell you there’s no need for that. I understand that it was just an accident. It’s all part of your job,” Beatrice said. Ava came back from the kitchen and sat down on her bed beside the fighter to apply the ice pack for her. Her neighbor placed her own hand above hers on the ice pack. The gesture was not lost on Camila.

“It’s not that. I’m sorry for what happened, Beatrice. But I did it against my will. It was Duretti who instructed me to do it, even though I told him about your injury and Coach Shannon’s instructions not to hit the area. He even threatened to fire me if I didn’t do it,” Sarah confessed.

“Duretti? But why would he -” Beatrice replied.

“It’s true. I saw and heard everything. I stepped outside when they called for a break, and then I witnessed everything that happened. Sarah did not want to do it. It was all Duretti,” Ava said. The fighter looked from her to Sarah in shock.

“Remember the other day when you had to go into training only on three hours of sleep?” Shannon started. “I begged Duretti to let you have the day off, but he won’t listen.”

“He told me it was you who insisted I had to start training right away,” Beatrice replied.

“Shannon is telling the truth. I also heard everything, among many other not nice things that spilled out of his foul mouth,” Ava replied, with disdain.

“Like what else?” Beatrice asked.

“Like how he hates women, how he thinks we are inferior, how he does not think that ladies’ mixed martial arts is a real sport,” Ava recounted.

“When we were training for your previous fight, he told logistics to give me a size two uniform even when I asked for a four because, in his words, he wanted to see my boobs bulge out of my shirt,” Pauline revealed.

“It’s true. I was in logistics at that time. He wouldn’t allow me to give her the proper size. I’m a size four, and Pauline and I shared my shirts during the entire training,” Georgie said.

“It was also his fault that you almost failed to make weight during your last fight. I’ve been telling him during the entire training period that our weighing scales were not calibrated. He told me that I should shut up because women knew nothing about numbers,” May said.

“I discovered the error and May and I tested all of our scales. They all seemed tampered. Duretti told us not to tell anyone especially Coach Shannon about it, or else he would fire us,” the girl named Mia said.

“He tried to cop a feel on me before, but I kicked him on his shin. That’s why he is walking with a limp,” Camila said. “I don’t have witnesses or other testimony to back up my story but that was what happened.”

“What a minute -” Beatrice sat up straighter on the bed, the look on her face unreadable.

“Witnesses? Testimonies? I am not the jury, Camila,” the fighter said. “I am your friend. I’ll take your word for it, all of yours.”

“You would?” Camila asked, surprise in her voice.

“Of course. There’s no reason for all of you to lie, is there? But this has been going on under my nose for a long time, why hasn’t anyone spoken about it to me until now?” Beatrice said, her voice sounding hurt. And then turning to Shannon, “Coach?”

“We all thought you’d believe your coach over us, it’s our word against his,” Shannon replied.

The fighter’s body turned tensed and she did not speak. The tension in the room was palpable as the women waited to hear from Beatrice once more. One more minute passed and Ava noticed something shift in her neighbor’s eyes, softening the look. The hand that she held turned lax as the fighter let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry that I made you all feel that you cannot tell me these things. Obviously, I failed to protect you, I failed to protect my team. I want you to know that I will make this right. Duretti is not the man that I thought he was, and the kind of man that he is has no place in my team,” Beatrice said.

“More importantly.” Beatrice continued, and then turned to Ava, holding her gaze, “I believe women.”

She was right about Beatrice. She knew it! The fighter would listen, she would believe, and most of all, she would protect them, just like she listened to, believed, and protected her. Right at that moment, Beatrice never looked more perfect in Ava’s eyes, and without regard for present company, the actress threw her arms around the fighter’s shoulder, burying her face in the crook of her neck to hide her tears. A few seconds later, she felt Beatrice’ strong arm snake aroundher back, steadying her.

It was a miracle to Ava how Beatrice was the force that pulls her into the plunge yet grounds her, makes her heart ache yet sing at the same time, injects her with dread, and fills her with courage. The fighter was an enigma. She came into her mundane life not a week ago and completely took over it. The actress felt like she has never been born until she had met her neighbor, never been called Ava until the fighter spoke her name. Beatrice was her beginning, her jumpstart, her genesis. But she was not sure she’d be there at the end. Camila had reminded her that there were less than four weeks left of the camp. Four weeks until the fighter would have fulfilled her end of the bargain that she didn’t have to make in the first place, and hand her back to Mary, safe and sound.

Four weeks, she could be Beatrice’ camp girlfriend for four weeks. She could pretend that she has also taken over the fighter’s world. She was an actress, that was her job.

“Pauline, May, Georgie, and Mia, please go back to your rooms to rest. We will handle this,” Beatrice spoke, still holding Ava in her arms. “Camila, will you please call Duretti and tell him to come here?”

xxx

Duretti arrived thirty minutes later, still in his training clothes from this morning. He looked pissed and positively puzzled. The women met him in the living room. Beatrice sat on the couch sandwiched between Camila and Shannon. Ava was standing behind the fighter, two hands on both her neighbor’s shoulders.

“So, what is this about?,” Duretti asked, standing in front of the women.

“You instructed Sarah to hit me on the left side of the stomach after she informed you that Coach Shannon had specifically told her to avoid the area because of a reactivated injury,” Beatrice started.

“That’s not true, I -” Duretti started but Beatrice held up a hand.

“No, that was not a question,” Beatrice said. “Moreover, you threatened to fire her if she refused to do it. There was a witness to that conversation.”

“There are testimonies of how your training decisions have once and again placed me in harm’s way,” Beatrice continued. “But your worst offense yet is that you’ve repeatedly insulted, assaulted, and disrespected the women in this camp. I will not have any of it. Not under my watch.”

Duretti laughed. A maniacal laugh that made Ava want to strangle him, but she was sure that Beatrice and Shannon were more than capable of physically maiming the man if they wanted to.

“Under your watch? Beatrice, you are under my watch! All of you are under my watch!” Duretti yelled, spit coming out of his mouth in projectiles. The man turned very red, and the actress could see veins of green popping across his forehead.

“Not anymore,” Beatrice said, standing up. The actress helped her up, her own hands dropping from the fighter's shoulders to steady her arms.

“You’re fired, Duretti. You can stay the night but we are calling for your ride to the city the first thing in the morning,” Beatrice said.

“You can’t fire me. I am irreplaceable! These women who’ve been feeding you lies are not! Who do you think you are! Management chose me as head coach. What do you think they’re going to say about you getting rid of your coach in the middle of the training season? They’re not gonna like it!,” Duretti yelled.

“Then I won’t fight. Simple as that,” Beatrice said.

“You can’t do that. You are under a contract not just with your management, but with the UFC! Do you think you can buy out your contract? You’ve had one payday, sweetie,” Duretti replied.

“Hey! She is not your sweetie!” Ava spoke for the first time. Beatrice gently held the actress’ hand that was on her arm in order to calm her down.

“I know I’m under a contract. That’s why I know management will choose me over you in case I refuse to fight,” Beatrice said. “I am irreplaceable. You are not.”

Ava saw the color leave Duretti’s face. “You will regret this, Beatrice! You will lose that fight! And you, Shannon, this is the furthest that you’ll ever be in your career! And you!” he said, pointing at Camila. “I don’t even know what’s your purpose here!”

He turned around and strode to the door. Duretti turned the knob but stopped in his tracks. He whipped his body around and stared darkly at Ava, pointing a finger at the actress.

“And you! Dyke! Don’t think I don’t know who you are,” Duretti warned, before stepping out of the door and slamming it behind him. Beatrice stood in front of the actress protectively, but her former coach was gone in a flash.

“You okay?” the fighter said, turning around to face Ava and caressing her face with her hands. The actress nodded, although she was visibly shaken.

“What’s going to happen now? We are in the middle of training and we don’t have a head coach. Maybe we didn’t think this through enough,” Shannon said.

“We have a head coach," Beatrice replied with a smile. "You. I’ll see you tomorrow for training."

xxx

Ava met Camila the next morning for breakfast at around eight. She had given her friend her phone number and told her to wait in the mess hall for her. Camila was drinking coffee by the window when Ava approached her with her tray.

“Wow, you make that yellow shirt look couture,” Camila greeted the actress. Ava was finally wearing the team uniform and she felt like she belonged.

“How are things?” Ava asked, taking a bite from her blueberry muffin. “The camp seems to be buzzing with positive energy,” she added, looking around the mess hall.

“You should have woken up earlier. Duretti left as soon as the sun rose and Beatrice announced that Shannon is the new head coach. It’s like the entire camp breathed a sigh of relief,” Camila replied.

“I take it everyone is happy about the news?” Ava asked.

“Well, duh! Now, everyone can work based on their love for the sport, not out of fear,” Camila replied. “Well, almost everyone. The male sparring partners didn’t say I word, but they’ve been keeping to themselves since Duretti left. They’re his men.”

“Oh, your _oh so fine_ sparring partners?” Ava teased.

“Shut up,” Camila said. “We can’t replace them now. It’s not that easy to find the perfect match, and besides, they already know too much.”

“What’s for training today?” Ava inquired.

“The doctor recommended laps on the pool for cardio, but that should be over by now,” Camila said, checking her clipboard. “We will head to the gym after you finish eating.”

“Great! I want to help with training but I don’t know how to swim,” Ava said.

“What? You literally played a mermaid,” Camila replied, amused.

“The credit goes to my body double, CGI, and a really shallow pool,” Ava said. “If it wasn’t too big of a role to pass up, you wouldn’t see me near any body of water. I had a near-death experience as a child.”

“Oh, too bad. The pool is nice. We sometimes take a dip on Sundays. You about ready?” Camila asked.

“Yes, just -” Ava replied, stuffing a big chunk of the muffin in her mouth before standing up.

xxx

Ava and Camila arrived at the boxing gym in the middle of the action. The gym was bigger than the dojo, with five rings and an expansive area for punching bags, speed balls, and other drills. Four of the rings were currently occupied by fighters who were sparring. Beatrice was on the one nearest the entrance wearing padding across her torso. Ava saw Sarah up there with her, who was throwing punches against her neighbor.

“I thought the doctor disallowed sparring for a week?” Ava said, approaching Shannon.

“This is not sparring. We are adjusting her defensive techniques. The moment Crimson discovers the injury with a single blow, she’ll use that against Beatrice and the fight is over,” Shannon explained. “I’m looking for holes in her defense, testing where her instincts lie in protecting herself.”

“Sounds interesting,” Ava replied. “Who are they?” she asked, pointing to the fighters in the other rings.

“Beatrice is not the only fighter on the team. We also train the undercards. We have other trainers but I supervise the training of all fighters,” Shannon said.

“Well, congrats on that, head coach!” Ava said, bumping shoulders with Shannon.

Ava observed Beatrice as she blocked, and dodged the punches and kicks that Sarah threw her way. After a while, the actress understood it. Sarah was not as much as hitting the fighter but surprising her with her attacks. The actress saw how expertly Beatrice had always been a step ahead. It was like she knew what Sarah was going to do next even before Sarah did, herself. It was a dance, and even on defense, it was Beatrice leading.

“I want to help, how can I help?” Ava said, turning to Shannon. The taller girl regarded her with a discerning eye.

“How fit are you?” she asked.

“Well, I run. I work with a personal trainer from time to time, and I used to dance back when I was in drama school,” Ava replied.

“Alright, Mia, give Ms. Silva a clipboard,” Shannon said. One of the girls from last night handed her a cork clipboard containing the training schedule.

“You are going to be her skills partner. Beatrice tends to overdo things, your job is to keep her on track,” Shannon said.

Ava heard the bell ring across the gym, signaling the end of the round. Shannon instructed her to study the day’s schedule.

“Beatrice, Sarah, I have some notes for you,” Shannon said, approaching the fighter as she got off the ring. Her neighbor removed the padding she wore around her body and smiled at Ava before speaking with her coach.

“Alright, everyone, take a water break, and then it’s ten rounds on the bags!” Shannon announced.

Someone handed Beatrice a bottle of blue Gatorade and a towel before she approached her neighbor.

“So, you’re my skills partner, huh?” Beatrice said. “Any particular skills you want me to try?” she continued. There was a dark smile on the fighter’s face before she cracked up at Ava’s reaction.

“Three points,” the fighter said.

“Oh come on, Beatrice, it’s too early for that,” Ava said.

“I’m sorry. Just tell me if I’m crossing a line. I can stop if it’s no longer funny for you,” Beatrice said seriously.

“No, it’s just, I’m just warming up, okay? I’m going to crush you in this game you started,” Ava replied.

The actress began as Beatrice’ skills partner, first on the bags, and then with footwork. Shannon guided her at first, but Ava was a fast learner, and Beatrice knew what to do anyway, so the head coach left them alone to supervise the other fighters. With a puzzled look on her face, Camila observed how the fighter teased Ava every chance she got, and how the actress was flustered and failed to respond each time.

Shannon called for a longer break and Camila dragged Ava to one side.

“What’s with all these teasing and sexual innuendos? I’ve never heard Beatrice talk like that,” Camila asked.

“It’s a game we’re playing. The one who gets to make the other blush earns a point,” Ava explained.

“And how many points do you have so far?” Camila asked.

“Nada. She’s racking up the points,” Ava admitted.

“What is the reward of whoever wins this childish game?” Camila asked.

“Nothing. The game itself is the reward,” Ava replied.

“Ava, if you’re treating this as a game, someone is bound to lose. From the looks of it, it’s more likely to be you. I’m just worried for you. Beatrice is a nice person -” Camila said.

“She’s a wonderful person,” Ava corrected.

“I know. So guard your heart,” Camila said, tapping the actress lightly on the shoulder.

“Camila, she cooks for me, takes care of me, takes note of my needs. We even hold hands for crying out loud. You don’t think she does not feel even a little bit of attraction towards me?” Ava asked. 

‘Not to mention she has saved my life countless times and drove all the way from California to keep me safe,’ Ava added in her head

“Who really knows what Bea feels? Not even me, Ava,” Camila replied.

Shannon announced that the break was over and the fighters positioned themselves by the speed bags. Ava observed in awe how quickly Beatrice’ hands worked the bag. She pointed this out to the fighter when the bell rang to signal the end of the round.

“How do you do that? Keep up with the bag when it’s bouncing around so fast?” Ava asked.

“I don’t keep up with the bag. It keeps up with me. I control the speed,” Beatrice replied. “Want to try?” Beatrice asked. The actress nodded and Beatrice approached someone to ask for a fresh pair of wraps. She was handed two rolls of yellow elastic wraps, the same color that was on her own hands.

“Here, let me just make sure these hands are protected first,” Beatrice said. Ava waited for the joke that did not come. She held her hands out in front of her for the fighter to take. The actress observed how Beatrice took each hand gently into her own, wrapping the wrists, palms, and each finger carefully, making sure that each layer was just snug enough - not too tight nor too loose. She instructed Ava to form a fist and tested the integrity of the wrap by making Ava punch her own palm. The actress knew right then that there was no way she could follow Camila’s advice and guard her heart. She wanted more of this. All of these. Of Beatrice’ caring hands, of her careful attention. Damn the consequences at the end.

“You’re good,” Beatrice said.

“Thanks,” Ava replied.

“You’re right-handed?” Beatrice asked and Ava nodded. The fighter moved behind the actress and pressed her front to Ava’s back. The shorter girl held her breath as her neighbor raised her right fist up with her own hand to the speed bag and began demonstrating how to punch.

“Just like that, start slowly at first, and then you can speed it up so long as you are the one controlling the bag. Don’t let it control you,” Beatrice said. The fighter placed her hands on Ava’s hips.

“This okay?” she asked, and Ava nodded, trying to concentrate on the bag. Beatrice’ hands slid from the actress' hips to her core.

“Breathe into here to steady your body,” she instructed. “You can change hands if you feel comfortable.”

“You’re the one who should be training, Beatrice,” Ava said as she sped up her punches.

It took a while for her neighbor to respond. The actress felt her neighbor dip her head near her right cheek, her lips almost gracing the skin there. When she spoke, the fighter’s voice tickled Ava’s ear.

“I don’t need to train, Ava. I’m already very good with my hands,” she said with a sultry voice.

Ava froze in the fighter’s arms, turning around to meet her neighbor’s eyes. Beatrice gave her a dark look that soon turned into worry at the sight of the stricken look on the actress’ face.

“Too much?” Beatrice asked, removing her arms from around Ava’s waist.

“Excuse me,” Ava replied, quickly removing the elastic wrap around her hands. She dropped the yellow bandages on the floor and ran to the exit of the gym.

Beatrice attempted to follow her, but Camila stepped in front of the fighter with a hand on her chest.

“Give her space. She obviously can’t breathe in here,” Camila said.

“I might have stepped over a line,” Beatrice admitted. “We were playing a game.”

“I know. She’ll forgive you. Just don’t overdo it if that’s all it is to you, a game,” Camila warned her friend.

“I’m not that kind of person,” Beatrice replied, defending herself.

“Okay, we can talk all about this during lunch, just focus on your training for now,” Camila replied.

xxx

Ava was reading in bed when Beatrice arrived at about twelve forty in the afternoon. The fighter was still in her training clothes and had a sandwich in her hand.

“Hey, I was told you have not yet come down to the mess hall for lunch,” Beatrice started as she approached Ava on the bed. She placed the sandwich on the bedside table.

“So I brought you this,” the fighter said. “I had the kitchen make it from the same salami sandwich recipe you loved.”

“Thanks, I’ll eat it later, I’m not yet hungry, Ava replied curtly without meeting Beatrice’ eyes.”

“Okay, uhm,” Beatrice started awkwardly. It was the first time the actress has ever heard the fighter spoke so unsurely. It was a delight to watch.

“I’m really sorry, Ava, I know I’ve crossed a line. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable,” the fighter continued but Ava ignored her.

“So uh,” Beatrice said, “Am I not going to see you in training later? I mean, I totally understand if -"

Ava stood up suddenly, and in a moment, she was in front of Beatrice, her front pressed to the fighter’s. The actress took her neighbor by her wrist, pulling her further into her own body.

Ava tucked a stray lock of raven hair behind Beatrice’ ear with her other hand before letting her finger fall to the fighter’s neck and sternum like a bead of sweat. Her neighbor’s face was once again so close that she could see her dark eyes dilate with every breath that Ava was releasing through her mouth. The actress saw the taller girl’s lips part, felt how her pulse quickened through the wrist that she was still holding. If only for Beatrice’ reactions, Ava could believe that there was a possibility that the fighter liked her back.

She closed the gap between their faces, tiptoeing to reach the fighter’s ear, her mouth just hovering above the outer shell. Ava let out a hot breath and her neighbor shivered.

“I don’t need to train, Beatrice. I’m already very good,” Ava whispered. There was a stricken look on Beatrice’ face when the actress stepped back away, letting her wrist fall to her side. If Ava might say so herself, the fighter looked very, very red.

“One point,” Ava said, laughing.

“Oh, you!” Beatrice replied, but the fighter still looked like she did not know what hit her. “So, you’re still in the game?”

“Sure! I finally get a point and you suddenly want to cancel it?” Ava replied. “One point! One point!” Ava chanted as she marched through the living room.

“Well, congratulations,” Beatrice said. “Listen, they’re organizing a bonfire tonight in honor of Shannon. You should come.”

The actress was puzzled. She didn’t know why Beatrice was inviting her. If there was something happening in the camp, Camila would definitely tell her about it, no invitation needed.

“As my date,” Beatrice continued.

“Oh,” Ava replied. She wanted to scream, she did not know what the word meant. A date could mean anything. It could be a date between friends, lovers, and every relationship in between. The actress should not make such a big deal out of it.

‘Guard your heart,’ she heard Camila’s voice in her head.

“Sure, I’ll be your date,” Ava replied. And then, downplaying it, “It’s a good idea to make an appearance since people here think that we’re together.”

If that was not the answer Beatrice expected, she did not show it. “Okay,” the fighter replied. “I should head back to training.”

“I’ll follow you there,” Ava replied.

xxx

The actress arrived at the gym an hour later, ready to continue her role as Beatrice’ skills partner. The two performed the drills together with the other fighters Shannon were supervising. Sometimes, Beatrice would teach her an exercise when Ava has taken a particular interest in it. No one has tried to tease or make the other fluster the entire time. The pair had an unspoken agreement that they were done with the game, for the day.

Ava and Beatrice retired to their room by five. It was announced that dinner will be served at the bonfire area in front of the hotel. The pair took turns taking a shower, with Ava showering first. The actress wore her best wool pants and a thin cotton embroidered blouse she planned to pair with a black leather jacket. She even made the effort to put on blush and a thin lipstick.

“Wow, you look beautiful,” Beatrice greeted her neighbor as she stepped out of the shower with her hair still wet. She was wearing a black button-down short-sleeve shirt over a gray sweater, and a pair of khaki pants folded at the cuffs.

“Thanks,” Ava said. “You look cute as fuck.”

“I just came out of the shower,” Beatrice replied, but the smile that was on her face was intact as she prepared for the bonfire.

Shannon knocked on their door a little after six in the evening, wanting to speak with Beatrice. The fighter told Ava to go ahead to the bonfire and wait for her there.

xxx

Ava stepped out of the lobby of the hotel and into the lawn on its front. She saw that a bonfire has been set up in the middle, its fire being stoked by the camp’s staff. Chairs and benches were set up along the fire’s perimeter, and a long buffet table was set up just outside the circumference. She saw the members of the team outside their usual yellow shirt, looking casual in their warm clothes. A group of people had just brought out the sound system from inside the hotel and was setting up the microphone just near the fire. Camila approached the actress, a red cup in her hand.

“What do you think? Not my best but I arranged this last minute,” Camila said. “We’ve got the food from the mess hall, and an additional 'smores station.”

“Are you kidding? It’s perfect,” Ava said and then glancing at the cup. “I thought alcohol is not allowed in this camp.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s just apple juice, but someone might just spike your cup if you know the organizer of the event,” Camila replied, leaning in and winking at Ava. “Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll join you shortly. You’re not hungry yet, are you?”

“No, and I’ll wait for Beatrice, she’s just speaking with Shannon,” Ava replied.

“You two okay now? You kind of ran away this morning,” Camila asked, worried.

“Yeah, we’re fine. I’m her date for tonight,” Ava replied.

“Her date?” Camila asked suspiciously.

“Oh, you know, to make an appearance. Everyone here knows we are together,” Ava replied, waving a hand in front of her to downplay what she just said.

“Oooh-kay,” Camila said, although she did not seem convinced. “You go take a seat and I’ll grab us some marshmallows on sticks.”

The actress sat down on one of the logs around the fire and waited for her friend to return. She saw Pauline and Mia already roasting their marshmallows nearby and gave the girls a wave.

“Is someone sitting here?” Ava heard a man’s voice ask. The actress looked up to see the man that had brought up their luggage the other day smiling down at her. He now had his long blonde hair down and was wearing a gray knitted sweater under a red bomber jacket and a pair of jeans. He held red cups in each of his hands. Ava tried to remember his name.

“Uhm, someone is -” the actress started but the man plopped his body down beside her.

“Nope, I don’t see anyone,” the man said. “Here you go,” he said, handing over one of the cups to the actress. “It’s spiked apple juice. You just have to know the organizer,” the man winked.

Ava could not help it. She closed her eyes and rolled her eyeballs beneath the lids. Something about the man infuriated the actress since the first time they met, and he was now sitting on Beatrice’ seat.

“So,” he began speaking again and Ava let out a deep breath before faking a smile. “I don’t know what’s going on. Suddenly, Coach Duretti leaves in the middle of the training season and Beatrice makes Shannon head coach. Huh! Good luck with that.”

“I heard it’s the women in this camp, ganged up on the coach and influenced Beatrice to make Duretti leave. I bet it’s all Shannon’s doing. She’s always wanted to be the head coach. She almost was, except the management wanted to bring in a bigger name,” the man continued.

“Shhhh,” Ava said, interrupting him. Camila was at the microphone performing a soundcheck.

“Hey, everyone! Sorry for such short notice. I hope you liked the setup, I just arranged everything after lunch!” Camila began speaking. The crowd began gathering around the fire with some hooting excitedly.

“Yeah, right, she’s had hours and this is the best she could come up with, a bonfire?” the man beside Ava remarked.

“Shhhh!” Ava shushed him once more.

“We gather tonight to have fun! We know how hard you all have been working to help get Beatrice her second belt and this night is for you,” Camila continued. “Before I go on and on talking all night, let’s hear it from our new head coach, our guiding light to victory, Coach Shannon!”

The crowd clapped enthusiastically, and Ava saw her companion make a face so she jumped up from her seat and cheered for the new head coach. The drink in her hand sloshed everywhere and spilled on the man beside her but the actress didn’t care.

‘If Shannon’s already here, then Beatrice must be, too,’ Ava thought, looking around the area for the fighter but she was nowhere to be found. Shannon tapped on the microphone to check if it was turned on.

“Coach Shannon! Coach Shannon!” the crowd began chanting. The new head coach held her hands up to silence the crowd and the sound in the area went from a ton of decibels to zero in an instant. Ava saw Shannon’s command of the crowd and knew right there and then that she was the right choice to replace Duretti and lead the team.

“Thank you, thank you, everyone. I know that a team composed of people like you would make this an easy job for me,” Shannon began. “So why don’t you give yourselves first a big round of applause!”

The crowd cheered once more.

“I just want you to know that even if I am the head coach now, our relationship does not have to change. I am still Shannon, who is your friend and who you could approach regarding just about anything. The only difference is that I also have to take care of the paperwork!” Shannon said and the crowd laughed.

“So let’s just continue what we are doing, but with more joy and passion. I’m sure we will get those belts for all our fighters at the end of the month,” Shannon said. “But before I end, I want to call on a very special person. A person who pushed us to do the right thing, a person who taught us to have each other’s backs, a person that has shown us that one does not have to be brave alone. I may be your head coach, but she is our leader. Ms. Ava Silva.”

The crowd clapped and everyone’s heads turned in the direction of the actress, including the man beside her who had a puzzled look on his face. When Ava did not move from her spot, Camila approached her, holding her by the shoulders.

“Shannon wants you to speak, come on,” Camila said with a smile on her face.

“Me?” Ava asked.

“Of course, you, dummy,” Camila replied. The girl escorted her friend to the microphone and even tested it for her.

The actress did not know what to say. She has just restarted her career, has made one movie, and has not won any awards yet so she’s not used to making speeches. Ava cleared her throat before she began.

“I, I don’t know what to say, uhm,” she started. “I guess when Beatrice invited me as a guest to this camp, I didn’t expect that I would help topple over a dictator.”

The crowd laughed and she heard someone hooting.

“I wouldn’t have had the courage to push everyone to speak the truth if I hadn’t seen them have each other’s backs in the first place. I only drew my strength from the bravery of these girls,” Ava continued. “Honestly, thank you for making me feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself. I guess I can finally say, I am a _part of that world._ ”

Ava sang the last words to her speech. Those who have seen her in her last movie laughed and explained the joke to those who looked puzzled. Everyone clapped for Ava as she walked back to her seat. The man was no longer there and was replaced by Camila who greeted her with a hug.

“I got rid of Klaus,” Camila whispered to her ear.

‘So that was his name,’ Ava thought.

Shannon approached the actress to give her a hug as well.

“Thank you. For everything,” the head coach said as she held Ava at arm’s length.

“It’s nothing, really, I don’t know why you are thanking me,” Ava tried to downplay it. “Hey, where’s Beatrice? I left you two alone in the room before I came here?”

“Oh, she has not shown her face? We came down together but I told her I had to get something in my room first. She should have arrived before I did,” Shannon replied.

Ava ate dinner, roasted some marshmallows, and mingled with people who all wanted to eagerly shake her hand, mostly with Camila by her side. Beatrice never appeared at the party. By eight-thirty in the evening, the actress was all talked out. She thought that if the fighter was not going to make an appearance, there was no reason to stay any longer. Ava excused herself from Camila and bid Shannon goodbye before retiring into her room.

xxx

The actress saw Beatrice on the couch watching TV when she entered their room. The fighter was already in her pajamas and glasses and was clearly having a night in. Ava huffed and stood in front of the fighter, blocking the TV from her sight. Beatrice turned it off to listen to her.

“You stood me up. You asked me out on a date and did not show up at all,” Ava started.

“Ava-” Beatrice said but the actress interrupted her with a hand.

“Let me finish. Nobody stands me up. There was a time three years ago, Timothée Chalamet was once late for thirty minutes and I just asked him to take me home. He had the mother of excuses but I never spoke to him again,” Ava said. “So, what do you have to say for yourself? Clearly, you were just watching TV.”

“Ava, I, I have no excuse, I mean, I have no right, really,” Beatrice started, looking flustered. The actress allowed her to talk. “It’s stupid, really. I went down there, and I saw that you were with Klaus. I saw him hand you a drink, and I saw how you smiled at him whenever he talked. I did not know what to feel so I just shut myself here.”

“Klaus? Oh, no. Oh, Beatrice, he just invited himself to sit next to me. I swear, whenever I hear him speak, my eyeballs would roll involuntarily, and I see the back of my head,” Ava replied. “Good thing Camila was there to get rid of him.”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to explain. I have no right to feel this way,” Beatrice replied.

‘Feel what way exactly?’ Ava thought. It was jealousy, what else? Beatrice was confessing to feeling jealous. She did not have to put it into the exact words because Ava was not stupid. The actress could easily win a point in their game if she draws attention to it right now.

But no. That would not have been fair. It was not Ava’s teasing, but Beatrice organically feeling these feelings on her own. For the first time since she has known her neighbor, she was confessing to her own feelings. Ava was not that cruel to make a game out of that. She, of all people, would know how much that would suck.

The actress held her hand in front of her, which the fighter took, and Ava pulled the taller girl to her feet. She walked her neighbor to the bedroom to stand beside her own bed.

“Why don’t you just make it up to me?” Ava said as she placed Beatrice’ hand around her waist. The actress’ own hand snaked up from the fighter’s shoulder to her neck, and then her face.

“How do you want me to make it up to you,” Beatrice said dryly. Ava saw it again: the darkening look, the dilated pupils, the lips slowly parting. It would have been another point for her if only she was an asshole.

Ava took a step from Beatrice and let her tired body fall on her bed. She rolled over and picked up her kindle that she left on the bedside table and scooted over to make space for the fighter, tapping the empty area beside her. Her neighbor’s face looked positively puzzled.

“Read with me until we fall asleep? I miss reading, just reading with another person beside me who's also doing the same. I’ve never done that in more than a decade,” Ava said, smiling. “Come on, I saw you also have books in your side of the closet. This could be our date.”

“Okay,” Beatrice said, looking relieved. She walked over to the wooden cabinet to obtain a very thick Stephen King book and then walked back to lay down beside Ava.

The two read in silence for another hour, occasionally intertwining their fingers as they did so. Ava somehow ended up resting her head on Beatrice’ chest as she finished chapter after chapter of her book.

About thirty more minutes later, Beatrice’ book lay flat on her stomach, and Ava felt the fighter’s breathing become steady through the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. The actress knew that the tired fighter had fallen asleep.

Ava carefully closed Beatrice’ book and placed it on the bedside table before untangling herself from the fighter’s arms. Her neighbor stirred a little but was not awoken from her slumber by her movements. The actress noiselessly stood up from the bed, walked over to the closet to take her pajamas out, and padded softly to the bathroom to take a shower.

Ava's hair was already dry when she got out. She saw that the fighter was still asleep on the king bed, now hugging one of her pillows. The actress thought that if she did not get up to take a shower, she would have been that pillow, and she let out a soft chuckle.

She walked over to Beatrice’ side of the bedroom, turned off the lights, and settled on the fighter’s mattress on the floor. The pillows, the sheets, and the blanket all smelled of her neighbor, the same cinnamon and cardamom hints that drove her mad. She placed the blanket around her, sniffing the scent of the warm cloth, imagining they were the arms of Beatrice. With that thought, the actress fell asleep with a smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I was supposed to update last Friday but I was not able to write for two whole days due to all the excitement around the renewal of WN. Hope you enjoy this late update!


	7. A Needle to the Bubble

Ava woke up entangled in a maze of limbs and hair. It was five minutes until four in the morning, and it was the second day that she has beaten Beatrice’ alarm clock. The fighter woke up at four every day to go for a jog. Sleeping in the same bed with her and somehow ending up nestled in her neighbor’s arms in the middle of the night meant that there was no choice but for Ava to wake up as well whenever the fighter gets up for her run.

One of the effects of the irregular working hours of an actress was that her body clock adapted quickly to her neighbor’s early hours. Now, Ava no longer needed a clock, and she gets to enjoy the precious few minutes of watching Beatrice’ still and calm, wrapped between the sheets of Ava’s own bed before the fighter begins training for the day.

It was Saturday, the last training day of the week. Tomorrow, the camp gets to enjoy a collective break. Ava was excited, just one whole training day to get through until their planned sleepover with Camila that evening. It was her friend’s idea. Since they did not have to get up early the next day, they could enjoy one whole night of binge-watching Ava’s family sitcom in their pajamas, eating popcorn, and drinking hot chocolate. The actress feigned humiliation at the prospect of Beatrice and Camila watching her prepubescent face trying to deliver punchlines all night long. In truth, however, she couldn’t care less. Having been homeschooled for most of her childhood, Ava has never attended a pajama party before. If spending her first slumber party with her two favorite people meant that they had to watch blooper reel after blooper reel of her unpolished comedy, then so be it.

It has been more than a week since Duretti left camp. So far, no one has caught a whiff of what the former coach was up to, so the man was far from the actress’ thoughts. Since the night after the bonfire they held to celebrate Shannon’s promotion to head coach, Ava and Beatrice had picked up the habit of reading together on the king bed until the fighter, who was more fatigued of the two, falls asleep. During the first few nights, Ava tried so hard to noiselessly get up and move to her neighbor’s mattress. On the third night of their routine, however, Beatrice threw her arm around Ava’s waist, spooning the actress tightly like she was holding on for dear life. The shorter girl had no choice but to sleep in her own bed and in her neighbor’s arms. Not that she had any complaints.

The books were abandoned the following night. After taking a shower, Beatrice lied down on the king bed beside Ava, but her Stephen King novel was left unopened inside her closet.

“Goodnight, Ava,” the actress heard her neighbor murmur as she turned to face the other way and switched off the lamp on the bedside table.

On instinct, Ava drew closer to the fighter, inhaling the scent her still damp hair left on the pillow. Her shampoo smelled like citrus, of California summers and warmth. The actress does not remember when exactly they started doing things. Not sleep together. Just things to keep them warm, like caresses on the arm, and brushing fingers on the neck. She just remembers that she did this for a few more nights, just smelling the trail Beatrice leaves behind whenever she goes off to dreamland. Then one night, the actress’ arm was around her neighbor’s waist, her front pressed against her back, and she was no longer smelling the wet pillows, but her nape. The shorter girl knew that her neighbor was awake because she has stopped breathing evenly and her heart hammered wildly through her back. The fighter responded by lightly drawing circles on Ava’s forearm.

The actress hesitated at first, thinking that she was uninvited, but the taller girl buried her body deeper into the actress’ front. Ava and Beatrice spooned until they both fell asleep. Daytime found the two still spooning, Ava being the small spoon that time around.

The following day, Beatrice made no mention of what happened the night before. Ava sensed that she did not want to talk about it, so the actress did not bring it up. She figured that they were in a bubble, the membrane euphoric yet fragile. Ava wanted to keep the bubble as round and shiny for as long as possible, thriving on the pair’s blissful disregard of reality.

She started joining the fighter for her morning runs along the mountain trail. Ava enjoyed keeping her neighbor to herself even for an hour before all the buzz around the training schedule engulfed them both for most of the day.

Beatrice’ alarm finally went off, pulling Ava away from her thoughts.

“Beatrice, Beatrice,” Ava whispered, shaking her neighbor’s shoulders gently to wake her up.

“Mhmmm,” Beatrice mumbled, shifting her body to the other side to turn away from her neighbor.

“Come on, I want to be shredded by the end of camp, I wanna be as badass as you,” Ava said, shaking the fighter harder. Beatrice sat up, rubbing her eyes and stretching.

“That's never gonna happen,” Beatrice replied. The fighter stood up to approach her side of the closet and change into her running attire. The neighbors were now more comfortable stripping down to their underwear with the other in the room. The taller woman changed into a pair of thermal leggings and a sweater before putting on her joggers and hoodie. She lent some of her thermal wear to Ava when the actress started joining her for her morning runs, and she observed how her neighbor still struggled to put on the article of clothing.

“Do you need any help?” Beatrice asked as she put on her socks.

“No, I got this,” Ava said, pulling the legging up her left leg. Her other foot tripped on the hem of the right leg and she fell flat on her behind.

“Now, do you need help?” Beatrice chuckled, approaching her neighbor to help her up to her feet. Ava jumped around the bedroom, shaking and shimmying her legs until the waistband of the leggings met her waist. They brushed their teeth and were ready about ten minutes later, with Ava wearing another layer of green puffer vest above her knitted sweater, a blue beanie, and the Reeboks sneakers that she regretted endorsing.

It was still dark when they stepped outside the hotel. Ava shivered as her warm breath formed a fog in front of her lips. Beatrice surprised her with a hug from behind, taking her in her arms to warm her up.

“Good morning to you, too,” Ava said as her neighbor held her.

‘When did they become this affectionate outside of their room?’ she thought.

“Are you cold?” Beatrice asked.

“Just a bit,” Ava replied. “I should warm up a few minutes into the run, come on.”

Beatrice let go of the actress, catching up with her at the foot of the first hill. The two started off with a warm-up pace on the usual path they take every morning, a narrow footpath lined by oak trees. They jogged silently beside each other for about ten minutes before Ava spoke.

“Remember how we first met? We happened to both be running down the same street back in Malibu,” Ava said in between breaths.

“Of course, how could I forget that. It was not my usual jogging path, but I thank whoever is up there every day that I decided to give that area a try,” Beatrice replied with a smile. “I mean, I didn’t like that I had to save you from stalkers but if not for that, I would not have met you.”

“Really?” Ava asked.

“Are you kidding? Have you met yourself? You’re one of a kind,” Beatrice said, winking at the actress before sprinting up a hill. Ava blushed at her neighbor’s words. The fighter would have earned a point had they still been keeping track. Yet somehow, as the teasing melded into nightly caresses, the game itself transformed into something else unspoken and left undiscussed.

The actress ran up the hill as fast as she could and into Beatrice’ waiting arms. The fighter enveloped her arms around Ava, the shorter girl’s body crashing into hers with such force that they should have toppled over if not for the taller woman’s strong, steady, and trained legs. Beatrice held Ava for a while, shielding her from the cold as the actress snaked her own arms across the fighter’s waist and caught her breath. The taller girl rested her chin on top of Ava’s head. The actress had her ear pressed to her neighbor’s chest, counting the heavy bludgeoning of her every heartbeat. She imagined Beatrice’ heart pumping blood into the arteries in her arms, those same strong arms she had around Ava. Next, she imagined Beatrice’ heart beating just for her.

‘No, that would break my bubble,’ the actress thought, so she shook the idea away.

“Are you up for eight more rounds?” Beatrice said as she broke away from the embrace. The fighter was already sprinting downhill before Ava could reply.

xxx

The pair took a shower one after the other and changed into their training clothes before heading down for breakfast: Beatrice in her usual sports bra, tank top, and yoga pants, and Ava in her yellow shirt that was the team uniform. Camila was already in the mess hall with a plate of pancakes and eggs when they arrived.

“Good morning!” Ava greeted her friend as she sat down with her plate of waffles. Beatrice took the seat beside the actress with a smile on her face, her plate filled with sweet potatoes, chicken breast, and broccoli.

“You two look happy, what’s up?” Camila eyed the pair suspiciously.

“What’s up is our sleepover later! I’m so excited!” Ava replied, clapping her hands.

“Yes, that’s all I could think about, good thing I’m not the one that still has to train the entire day,” Camila replied and Beatrice chuckled. “So, anyway, I will drive down to the city after training to get what we need, chips, guacamole dips, cheese popcorn, a tub of powdered hot chocolate with those little packets of marshmallows, and lightly salted popcorn for Bea.”

“Pfft, boring,” Ava teased her neighbor. “So what’s on today’s schedule?”

“Ummm, an eight-round sparring session this morning, some light skills training after lunch, and then a therapy session with Dr. Washington,” Camila replied, checking her clipboard.

“Well, are you ready for your first sparring session?” Ava asked, worried about her neighbor’s injury.

“I’m more than ready. Shannon might have told you, Dr. Washington works wonders,” Beatrice replied. “Besides, I’m going against the easiest sparring partner.”

“Who is it?” Ava asked.

“Klaus Janssen,” Camila said, laughing when she saw the actress roll her eyes.

“You better be extra careful, Beatrice, something about that guy stinks,” Ava replied.

“It’s his unwashed hair,” Camila said, laughing once more.

xxx

The air was wild with anticipation as the team gathered around the boxing ring for the first sparring round of their main fighter for that training season. Shannon was in Beatrice’ corner, spitting last-minute instructions, while Klaus was speaking to one of the assistant coaches in his. Both fighters were wearing padding around their shin and body, and blue headgear. The bell rang and the coaches stepped down from the ring.

Klaus began a combination of footwork around Beatrice. Ava noticed that he was a southpaw fighter. Her neighbor raised her fists up on defense, performing footwork on her spot as she observed Klaus move around her.

The fighter feinted several jabs at Klaus, rolling her shoulders forward as if to throw a punch. The guy was unfazed, refusing to dodge as he clocked each feint jab and fake in-step. Klaus managed to connect a right body shot and a kick to Beatrice’ left shin.

“Why is she not doing anything?” Ava asked Shannon who now stood beside her.

“She’s studying Klaus’s attacks so she could predict it later on. This is classic Beatrice, don’t worry,” Shannon replied.

Beatrice kept her footwork consistent as she let Klaus land hook after hook and body shot upon body shot. The man danced around Beatrice for ten more seconds before Ava saw a shift in the fighter’s eyes.

Klaus was about to land another body shot, opening his jaw for Beatrice’ left hook, which connected. He tried to land another hook, opening his side for Beatrice’ knee, which landed. Klaus took a step back and smiled, although he looked like he lost the air from his lungs.

The two began really sparring, exchanging blows and kicks every chance they had to come near their opponent. Beatrice used the opening each of Klaus’s attacks creates on his body to connect her own while the man failed to land any more blows as her neighbor expertly dodged each jab and hook she has managed to predict.

Klaus looked like he had enough. He took hold of both Beatrice’ arms and began kicking the area around her left rib with his shin.

“Do something!” Ava hissed at Shannon.

The head coach shook her head. “Not yet.”

Beatrice extricated herself from Klaus’s hold and took three steps back shaking her arms. Klaus moved in and Beatrice began feinting jabs once again. Klaus thought that she was really going to land a punch so he dodged to the left, only to be met by Beatrice’ kick on that side of his body. The man once again grabbed Beatrice’ shoulders and was about to knee her left rib. This created a wide opening on his right leg for Beatrice to take a step inside his stance. She hooked her left leg on his right, bringing both of them down on the canvas with Beatrice on the top.

The two grappled for a few seconds on the canvas, until Klaus lost air and tapped out. The bell rang two seconds after, signifying the end of the round. Beatrice let go of Klaus, who had an annoying smirk that Ava wanted to punch into oblivion.

“Hit the showers, Janssen,” Shannon commanded as Beatrice sat on her corner.

“What? This is an eight-round sparring session, I’m only warming up,” Klaus replied with a half-grin.

“I said, hit the showers!” Shannon repeated. Klaus took his headgear off and threw it on the canvass.

“Yco, you’re up,” Shannon said, pointing to a girl at least five inches taller than Beatrice. “Anyone else who pulls what Janssen did and tries to injure our main fighter will have me to personally spar with.”

The staff fitted Yco with her gear and the bell rang once again. Beatrice and the girl called Yco sparred for seven rounds. She, in Ava’s opinion, was a better match for Beatrice. The actress observed that her goal was not to win the rounds but to help the main fighter practice her moves and defenses. Overall, the session went well and without incident. When the bell rang to mark the end of the last round, both fighters gave each other a bow.

Ava was ready with a towel when Beatrice stepped down from the ring. The actress removed her neighbor’s headgear and began carefully dabbing the sweat on her face. The fighter stared at her the whole time with a smile on her lips.

“Ehem,” Camila stood beside the pair, clearing her throat. The neighbors each took a step apart from the other in surprise, and Beatrice took the towel from Ava’s hand to wipe her own sweat.

“How’s the rib?” Camila asked.

“Only hurts a bit, like how it normally should,” Beatrice replied, unstrapping the padding she was wearing. Ava checked the area for any bruising and finding none, she looked satisfied.

“It had to happen anyway, I can’t go into the big fight not knowing what my rib could take,” Beatrice continued.

“I’m glad to hear that, I was really worried after what Klaus pulled earlier,” Ava said.

“Yeah, that asshole, I have words for him once he comes out of the shower,” Camila said, before marching to the doors leading to the shower area.

Shannon appeared behind Ava and Beatrice, putting a hand at the shoulder of each.

“Hey, take a break. Today is supposed to be a light day. We meet after lunch,” the head coach said.

xxx

The skills training that afternoon went like a routine. By this time, Ava was used to it, and she could now spot the slight differences in Beatrice’ performance that appears whenever she is overdoing an exercise. Shannon encouraged Ava to always be around because she has noticed how the fighter listens to her. Not that the actress needed any encouragement. At around three in the afternoon, the head coach called an end to that training block. The team cheered, quickly putting away the used equipment and cleaning up in the gym in order to get a headstart on their plans for the evening and tomorrow.

Camila drove down to the city with Beatrice after the fighter's therapy session to go grocery shopping for their sleepover. Beatrice did not want the actress to go outside the camp so she was left in their room, sulking due to fear of missing out.

She was sitting on her bed and was almost at the end of the novel she started two days ago when the pair came back with bags of chips and soda. Camila arranged the drinks in the fridge while the fighter moved the living room coffee table, pushing it against one of the walls.

“Hey, do you mind reading on the couch?” Beatrice asked. Ava stood up and moved to the couch.

“Why?” she asked as she saw Beatrice begin transferring pillows to the living room. She carried the king-sized mattress on her own and plopped it in front of the couch right below the flatscreen TV. The actress helped her neighbor remake the bed and arrange the pillows.

“For later,” Beatrice said, gesturing at her work.

“Nice, we could all sleep together,” Camila said, looping both her arms around the crook of Beatrice’ and Ava’s elbows. “Well, not sleep together, I meant...uh...I meant we should go get dinner!”

xxx

Ava and Beatrice were already in their pajamas when Camila dropped by their room at about nine in the evening. The actress was putting chips into bowls while the fighter was reviewing a list that she had been writing by hand before Camila arrived.

The trio settled in front of the TV screen, with Camila sitting on the mattress, her legs crossed. Beatrice sat on the couch behind her manager wrapped in a blanket, while Ava passed on mugs of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows from the kitchen. The actress turned off the lights to the living room and settled beside the fighter on the couch.

“So, are we starting with season one, or do you have a particular season in mind?” Ava asked as she grabbed the remote control to put on Netflix. She began typing ‘ _Like Fa_ ’ on the search function and saw the thumbnail for her sitcom so she clicked it.

“No, I have certain episodes in mind,” Beatrice replied, passing Ava the list that she was examining a while ago. The actress browsed through the list. The first item was the fifth episode of the first season.

“Hmmm, this is a weird chronology, you sure Camila can follow along?” Ava asked, trying to find a pattern in the numbers on the paper. Nonetheless, she clicked on season one episode five. The title card and the familiar opening song began playing and Ava was awash with nostalgia. She has not seen her own show in years.

The trio watched the show attentively in between mouthfuls of popcorn and chips. They laughed at all the punchlines, but Camila was especially excited whenever Ava’s tiny face shows up on the screen. She never tired of pointing at the actress every time little Charlotte wrinkles her nose, which was the character’s signature reaction. 

"You eldest sister looks strangely familiar," Camila remarked at one point.

It was by the third episode that Ava had a hunch.

“Camila, may I borrow your phone?” Ava said, tapping her friend lightly on the shoulder.

“Huh? What for?” Camila asked.

“I need to Google something,” Ava said. Camila passed the actress her iPhone.

“You don’t have a smartphone?” her friend asked.

“Left it at home,” Ava replied. She opened Safari on the phone and searched for the sitcom’s Wikipedia entry to scroll down to the episodes section. She began looking at the synopsis of the episodes on the fighter’s list one by one. The last episode listed down was the pilot of the final season of the show. Once she was done, she handed Camila her phone back.

Underneath the covers, and beyond Camila’s sight, Ava searched for the fighter’s warm hand, intertwining her fingers with her neighbor’s once she found it. She leaned her head on the fighter’s chest as Beatrice snaked her arm around Ava’s waist cuddling up with her under the blankets. Ava’s hunch was correct. All the episodes Beatrice has chosen were Charlotte-centric episodes. There she was on the screen, the character that had been the bridge between Ava and Beatrice years ago before they even knew each other. The same character that was causing the actress to fall deeper into Beatrice’ arms if that was even possible. In a sudden gush of affection, she placed a quick peck on the fighter’s cheek, before Camila could turn around and see it. Beatrice smiled at her looking positively pleased and held her even tighter under the sheets. Overwhelmed, the actress turned her attention back to the screen, feeling the membrane of her blissful bubble thinning and about to burst.

Camila, whose eyes were glued to the show, was oblivious to the show of affection under the sheets. Beatrice drew lazy circles on Ava’s arm as the actress answered Camila’s questions about the show, trying her best to recall what happened years ago.

It was about three in the morning and the last episode on Beatrice’ list, the pilot of the final season, was about to play. The fighter picked the remote control up to pause the screen.

“You sure you can watch this one?” the fighter whispered in Ava’s ear, nuzzling her face on the crook of the actress’ neck before Camila could turn her head around to ask what interrupted their viewing. The actress had told her neighbor the story behind that pilot, of how both her character and her eldest sister on the show were written off at the same time.

“Yes, it’s okay. It’s a fitting farewell to Charlotte and Michelle,” Ava replied. Beatrice clicked the play button and Ava’s final episode in the show began playing. The actress had expected guilt and regret to flow through her body, knowing that she has brought upon Blaire’s fate on the show, but Beatrice’ warm arms underneath the covers shielded her from the grief that never came.

By the time Charlotte and Michelle boarded the plane to be with their mother, Ava’s last scene on the show, the actress knew what she had to do. Camila was in tears when the closing credits appeared.

“That was your last episode?” she asked, sniffling. The actress nodded.

“But why? It’s the first episode of the season. Why would they write off two of the daughters from the show? The title is _Like Father, Like Daughters_ for crying out loud!” Camila said. Beatrice threw a gentle gaze on Ava’s way.

“I have to make a phone call, you two get ready for bed,” Ava said, getting out of the covers. She felt a chill run through her skin the moment she lost contact with her neighbor. Ava walked to her side of the closet to pick her burner up and stepped out of the room.

The actress dialed Mary’s number. She has not heard the cop’s voice in more than a week. She picked up after five rings.

“Uh-Ava? God, what time is it? Is everything okay?” Ava heard Mary’s voice, which was still fogged with sleep.

“I’m sorry, Mary, everything is fine. I’m just calling you now because I don’t want to have the chance to change my mind,” Ava drew a deep breath. “I’m doing it. I’m taking the stand.”

“Really? Man, I want to hug Beatrice when I see her. Whatever’s happening up there in the camp certainly worked,” Mary said, her voice now picking up.

“One more thing, though. There’s another name I want to add to the list of the girls, and I want you to find her and talk to her if you can,” Ava said. “Blaire Kinney. She’s an actress from my sitcom when I was a child. I don’t know how you’ll find her. She’s not on social media, I’ve been looking for years.”

“Wait, Ava, you mean you managed to gather evidence for this name you’re adding to the list?” the cop asked, confused.

“No, Mary. It’s my own testimony. My words are the evidence,” Ava replied. “She was raped by one of our producers when we were on tour in Texas more than ten years ago. Mark Boone is his name. I have met him several times when I was shadowing Adriel. He might also be linked to the trafficking ring.”

“Ava, the statute of limitations for rape in Texas is ten years,” Mary explained.

“But we are not prosecuting for rape. We can just add her name to establish a pattern of behavior for the people associated with Adriel and Mark Boone is one of them. Mary, this is your case. I’m giving you another name, just look into it, please?” Ava pleaded.

“Of course, I will. I’ll try to find out more in the following days,” Mary said. “Ava, be safe.”

“You, too, Mary,” Ava said, before hanging up the call.

When Ava returned to their room, Beatrice was already settled on the couch with a pillow under her head. Draped across her body was the same blanket they have been cuddling under for hours. Camila was on the mattress on the floor, her head positioned just in front of the couch and her feet pointed towards the TV screen, fiddling on her phone. She tapped the space beside her.

“You sleep beside me, Ava,” Camila said, smiling. It would be the first time in days in which the actress would not be sleeping beside Beatrice. Honestly, Ava was relieved. It would not be prudent to sleep beside each other with Camila around. They might inadvertently end up entangled in each other’s arms at some point, and they would have no control over that. Besides, the bubble that they were in was threatening to burst. Camila’s presence was the dam that is preventing that from happening, in the time being.

Ava settled beside Camila, telling her friend to get off her phone so they all could go to sleep. It was the fighter on the couch who dozed first. The actress has already memorized her soft, tired snores that punctuated the silence of the room. Camila turned, facing away from her friend, and Beatrice' hand dangled at the edge of the couch, just barely touching the mattress beneath. The actress brought her hand up to her head to meet her neighbor’s. She gently intertwined her fingers with that of the fighter’s, covering their merged hands with the hem of Beatrice’ blanket. She hoped Camila could forgive the gesture even if she saw it. Ava no longer knew sleep without fighter’s skin, and she no longer knew rest without the fighter’s touch.

xxx

Ava was allowed to wake up at whatever time she wanted that next morning, and she opened her eyes at about one in the afternoon. Camila and Beatrice had to leave a little earlier. The fighter left her a note on the fridge saying that they were down by the boxing gym to shoot a promotional video for the fight. The filming crew was composed of outsiders so she was advised to stay away from the area. The actress quickly got up and brushed her teeth, wanting to catch some lunch before they put the food away. She changed into her casual clothes and decided that she would need Beatrice’ help to return the mattress that was still on the living room floor back to its bed frame. She left the set up as it was and stepped out of the room.

The actress had her midday meal alone, but halfway through lunch, Shannon’s girls, or at least how she calls them in her head, May, Pauline, Georgie, and Mia, joined her at the table and made polite conversation.

“Which part of the camp do you think I could visit that’s far enough from where they’re shooting Beatrice’ promo? You know, I’m trying to avoid the media,” Ava asked the girls as she dug into her dessert.

“Have you checked out the pool? It’s nice and heated. We planned to take a dip today but Pauline here caught a cold,” Georgie replied.

“Well, I, uh, don’t know how to swim,” Ava said.

“How can you not know how to swim. Were you not Ariel?” May asked with a confused look on her face.

“I’m also not an actual mermaid so... anyway, I get that a lot. Special effects,” Ava replied in between spoonfuls of chocolate pudding. “But I might check out the place anyway, thanks! Might be a calming place to read.”

Shannon’s girls walked Ava to the building that housed the two Olympic sized pools. It was situated at the edge of the camp opposite the dojos and the gyms. The actress was told that the film crew would not wander there because no one would think to shoot a pool scene for an MMA fight promo.

Ava thanked the girls by the double doors that led to the pools before they went on their own way. The actress walked along the long edge of the rectangular pool with her kindle in her hand looking for a spot on the bleachers to settle in. The water was blue and calm, except for the area in the shallow part where three men were horse playing. She recognized one of them as Klaus. The actress rolled her eyes and walked further away, to the deeper end of the pool.

“Hey! Hey!” she heard a voice, which by now she recognized belonged to Klaus, call her. “Hey, Princess Jasmine!”

‘It’s Ariel, motherfucker,’ Ava thought. ‘How could I have been cast as Jasmine?’

Ava turned around to be polite. “Yes?”

“What, are you just going to sit? Why don’t you go for a dip with us, the water is nice,” Klaus replied, doing a backstroke to get near where the actress was standing.

“I’m not dressed for the occasion,” Ava said, setting her kindle down on the seat she chose. Klaus swam to the edge of the pool in front of the actress and lifted himself up. He left his two friends at the shallow end.

“It’s okay, my friends and I are not very particular with the attire,” a wet and shirtless Klaus said, walking towards Ava.

“I said no, Klaus,” Ava reiterated.

“Come on,” Klaus insisted, pulling the actress by the wrist. Ava tried to struggle but of course, Klaus' grip was strong.

“Klaus, I don’t know how to swim, and you’re hurting me!” Ava said, her voice getting shriller. Klaus’s friends who were watching them heard her and they laughed.

“Oh no, you were not Jasmine! I remember now, you were the mermaid! How could you not know how to swim?” Klaus said, pulling Ava to the edge of the pool with more force as he laughed.

“No, Klaus, no!” Ava pleaded, but it was too late. She felt her feet leave the ground as she was lifted into the air by Klaus’s strong arms. The fighter swung her body twice across space as if she weighed nothing before throwing her into the water. She landed in the middle of the deep end of the pool.

Ava started flailing, her feet desperately searching for the floor that was several feet below her. Her mind took her back to the memory of that lake trip with her parents when she was six years old. Her parent’s backs were turned away from her and mischievous as she was, she took off her life vest not really knowing what it was for. She began reaching outside the edges of the boat, playing with the water with her fingers, before she lost her footing and fell off. It was a while before her parents discovered that she was missing.

Now, she had no parents to rescue her, but perhaps, she would see them again, soon. The actress had ingested several gulps of pool water and Klaus’s laughter was starting to fade. The world around Ava turned fuzzy as the chlorine in the water stung her eyes. Her limbs were exhausted from clinging on to life and her lungs screamed for oxygen. She tried so hard to fight it, to prolong it, but the instinct won. She inhaled. The water that trailed through the cavities in her lungs came charging with searing pain. Then nothing.

Suddenly she was floating and weightless, not on the surface of the water, but through the air above. She saw herself motionless and facedown in the middle of the pool, saw Klaus begin to panic, and another person sprint along the edge of the pool to the direction of her body. It was Beatrice, flanked by Camila and Shannon. Ava saw the fighter jump into the pool and swim to the middle in order to drag her body to the edge. Her neighbor lifted her limp shell out of the water and Camila was immediately by her side, pumping her chest.

“Come on, Ava, come on,” the actress heard Camila murmur as she performed CPR.

Beatrice was dripping from head to foot as she charged for Klaus. The expression on her face screamed murder, and Ava has never seen her that furious before. Not in the numerous times she has rescued her from the men who tried to harm her. She began pushing Klaus around on the chest.

“I did not know she could not swim!” Klaus defended himself.

“Why would throw a person into the deep end of the pool without knowing if she could swim, you stupid fuck!” Camila interjected as she pumped Ava’s chest. There were tears in her eyes.

Beatrice did not speak but she kept pushing Klaus around.

“You want to have a go, Beatrice? You want me to finally break that rib?” Klaus taunted the fighter. A livid Beatrice lunged for her sparring partner and delivered a strong hook to his jaw. The man lost his footing and fell flat on his behind.

“Not until I break your face first,” Beatrice threatened. Klaus scrambled up to his feet and placed his fists in front of his face, gearing up for a fight. It was Shannon who went in between the two fighters to push them apart.

“Stop this, this is not helping, Beatrice!,” Shannon said. “Klaus, take a walk outside. Now!”

“No, Shannon, I want him to pack his bags and leave. I don’t care how, I don’t want to see him ever again, you hear me? Or I don’t know what I’m capable of doing,” Beatrice said, her voice laced with menace.

“What, Shannon, you’re going to get rid of me, too, as you did with Duretti?” Klaus addressed the head coach.

“You son of a -” Beatrice started to lunge once more for her sparring partner but she was interrupted by Camila.

Ava felt her incorporeal self being pulled from where she was floating across the ceiling, and down until she no longer felt weightless. The searing pain in her lungs was back, and she had the sudden need to cough.

“Stop! Stop, all of you!” Camila said. They turned in her direction to see tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. On the ground in front of her, Ava began coughing.

“Beatrice?” was the first word that came out of her mouth. The fighter rushed to the actress’ side, helping her sit up.

“I’m here, Ava, I’m here,” Beatrice replied with a gentle voice, the polar opposite of the tone she used just a few seconds ago on Klaus. The actress rested her body against the fighter’s chest, her entire system exhausted from having come back from the dead. Ava felt one of Beatrice’ strong arms move under the crook of her knee, and the other support her back. It was the second time in the span of twenty minutes that the actress was being lifted in the arms of another, but unlike with Klaus, Ava knew Beatrice would take her somewhere safe.

“Are you okay? Do you want to go to the clinic?” Beatrice whispered against Ava’s cheek.

“I just want to go home,” Ava replied. The fighter understood and she carried the actress along the long edge of the pool and outside the building. Beatrice traversed the path that led back to the hotel with Ava in her arms, her arms firm and stable as she carried the actress to the safety of their own room. Their bubble. The people they met along the way offered to help, but it was only Beatrice who could help Ava now. It was only Beatrice that she needed.

The neighbors left a wet trail behind as their clothes and dripping bodies moved through the path from the pool to the penthouse of the hotel. Ava reached down to take the key card from Beatrice’ pocket. Thankfully, it still worked.

Beatrice led the actress to the bathroom and put her down for the first time beside the tub. The fighter turned on the shower and ran the water warm. She took Ava by the hand and led her under the showerhead.

“Can you help me?” Ava asked weakly. Beatrice’ hands were instantly on the hem of her sweater, gently lifting the clothing up over her head. The fighter then placed her thumbs in the waistband of the actress’ pants, pulling them down. She discarded the wet clothing on the bathroom floor. Ava was left in her underwear, a pair of black satin bra and panties, standing before Beatrice.

She felt like she was walking on thin ice, along the fragile membrane of her bubble, but the warm water now running through her skin made her feel like maybe it was not as bad as she thought.

“Can you help me some more?” Ava asked, now boldly. She saw Beatrice take a gulp, but the fighter moved forward in a split second, her hand on the actress’ back, expertly unhooking her bra, letting it fall on the wet cubicle floor. The fighter hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her neighbor’s panties, the same way she did for her pants, and the actress shook the clothing off.

Ava stood in front of Beatrice, naked for the first time, teetering on the edge of the bubble.

“Your clothes are wet,” Ava said as if seeing the situation for the first time. Beatrice reacted quickly, discarding her clothes in one fell swoop, her tank top and yoga shorts joining Ava’s pile on the floor.

The actress helped her with her sports bra. It was a tricky piece of clothing to get off even when dry, and Ava’s and Beatrice’ fingers raced to take the material off. The last to go was the fighter’s panties as she shook them off to the floor.

The actress saw Beatrice in front of her, nude, vulnerable, and open. Beautiful. Each ripple of muscle visible under her smooth, pale skin told a story that Ava wanted to read with her own eyes, page by page, line by line. A bruise here and a scar there punctuated every paragraph, and every mole and mark was an exposition. In that fish with an eye tattoo just on the left of her breast was a plotline waiting to be discovered. Ava’s eyes trailed from the fighter’s taut brown nipples up to her glistening collar bones and the pale hollow of her neck - the build-up. All of these parts of Beatrice the actress was just starting to discover led to the climax that was her lips, parted and waiting. The actress observed the familiar dilated eyes and the up and down movement of her neighbor’s adam’s apple that she has already memorized. She knew that she was not alone in wanting.

This was her fragile bubble, and those lips of Beatrice were the needle threatening to burst the thin membrane of her naivety. The actress could still control it. She could make it stop. She could say no and the fighter would respect that. She could still restore the structural integrity of their blissful ignorance of reality.

Yet she really would rather not.

Ava approached the needle’s sharp end, crashing her lips into her neighbor’s at hypervelocity. Beatrice met her with the same intense longing, pressing her back against the cubicle wall, pinning the actress’ hands above her head. The warm water coming from the showerhead above them flowed to the last remaining crevices between their bodies, and down on the floor to join the discarded clothes as the neighbors nipped, and bit, and sucked, and fought the other’s tongue for dominance inside their joined mouths. Chest to chest, skin to skin. The kiss was everything Ava had dreamed about and nothing she could have predicted. Her nerve endings were on fire. She felt like a swelling wave threatening to crash with one stroke, but the pressure of the fighter’s soft lips on hers anchored her safely on the shore. Beatrice turned the knob of the shower to close the valve and led Ava out of the cubicle, breaking the kiss to wrap a towel around the actress. She took another towel for herself and began drying her own body.

Once they were both dry enough, the fighter took Ava in her arms and carried her into the living room, gently laying her down on the king-sized mattress that was still in front of the couch. Beatrice then turned on the electric fireplace underneath the TV that Ava did not know existed.

‘Was she about to make love to Beatrice next to a fireplace?’ Ava thought, thanking the heavens that she did not have the heart nor the strength to carry the mattress back to its frame earlier.

“Are you warm?” the fighter spoke for the first time, lying down on top of Ava and wrapping a blanket around them both. The actress nodded as she observed her neighbor’s eyes dark with desire, her hands at the ready, waiting for even a tiny bit of sign from Ava that she wanted her to go on.

The bubble might have burst, but she might still be able to salvage it. She just wanted to be sure that there was a place for her outside that thin membrane, somewhere she and Beatrice could finally put into words what they were to each other.

Ava pushed Beatrice lightly on the chest, the same spot where her neighbor pushed her when they almost kissed for the first time. The fighter was puzzled, her eyes remained dilated, but she got up without fuzz, sitting beside Ava on the bed. The actress sat up as well, leaning her head on Beatrice’ shoulder in front of the crackling fire.

“Beatrice,” Ava spoke slowly. “What we’ve been doing for the past few nights, the touching and the caresses? I know it feels good for you. It feels good for me, too. It fills our empty nights, makes us feel we’re not alone for a few hours.”

The fighter was quiet, tracing lazy circles down the small of Ava’s naked back, letting the actress speak.

“But it’s not just that for me. Every time you take me into your arms before you go to sleep, you light up a fire inside of me. Whenever I hear you murmuring through my ear on your chest, you are adding kindling to that fire. Whenever you care for me, you just leave me wishing you’d care for me more and it makes me feel selfish for even wanting you when you’re already giving me warmth and I’m trying to change that part of myself -" Ava babbled, but Beatrice interrupted her with a kiss to her temple.

“Shhhh, that’s not selfish. That’s just fair, it was unfair for me to -” Beatrice started, but it was Ava who stopped her this time with a finger on the fighter's lips.

“I just want to know if that is all this is to you. Warmth. Because I would be okay with that. I would be okay with just this. Just let me know so I could try to stop wanting, I -” Ava tried to explain but her neighbor silenced her with a kiss. It was sweeter, less rushed, and gentler than the one they shared back in the shower. Their lips parted, lines of spit trying cling on to each other for a second longer.

Beatrice took Ava’s hand in hers and kissed it before she spoke.

“When I agreed to bring you here, I did not expect any of these to happen. I never even thought we would be friends. We’re worlds apart,” Beatrice began. “Or so I thought. And then I find out that I knew you since I was a child. I discovered that I could make you blush. I loved seeing you flustered, the red creeping up your face makes you look infinitely more beautiful if that was even possible. You then let me sleep in your bed, and everything sort of fell into place. It clicked. It was warm like you said. I liked it. I looked forward to our nights together even though we did nothing but sleep in each other’s arms. But I was afraid to take it further. I did not know what I could offer someone like you. I am flawed, and to me, you are perfect.”

The fire crackled for a few more seconds, punctuating each pause in Beatrice’ speech. Ava listened to the fighter’s steady breathing as it harmonized with the sound of the fire in front. She looked at Ava with longing in her eyes before she spoke again.

“I was looking for a sign,” Beatrice said. “And then you almost died earlier and I almost lost you. For the first time, I could not do anything about it but turn my anger towards Klaus. He was lucky Shannon was there. I was violent outside of the ring, Ava. I am not that person and it scared me what I could do at the thought of losing you. But you came back, and I cannot lose you again.”

The actress placed her palm on her neighbor’s cheek, caressing it before she spoke. “You know I never wanted to come here in the first place. I resisted you, tried to run away, but you made it so hard. I just had to know you, all of you. And I liked what I saw.”

“I’m afraid you don’t know what I am,” Beatrice replied. “My whole life, people have tried to make me into something I’m not. To control me. I became skilled at so many things just so many things because it was what was required of me. Otherwise, I would not have value, get discarded. When you are measured by what skill you can bring to the table and not about who you were as a person, you begin to hate who you are. When what you love, what should make you happy, only brings you pain. Pain is what made me a fighter.”

Beatrice dropped her head and let out a heavy sigh. Ava wiped away tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

“Don’t hate what you are,” Ava replied, tilting the fighter’s chin up to meet her gaze, the reflection of the fire flickering in her brown eyes. “What you are is beautiful.”

The actress bridged the gap between their lips once more. Each soft peck was like the first time, each nip was like the last. Beatrice wrapped her arm around Ava, bringing both their bodies down gently on the mattress. The fire crackled as the two kissed, both safe and desperate. The fighter positioned herself on top of Ava, straddling her hips. She smoothed her hands along the expanse of the actress’ bare skin, leaving trails of goosebumps along the way. She palmed each of her neighbor’s breasts before cupping them and lowering her mouth in order to rain kisses along her neck, sucking on the pulse that was beating madly through the thin skin beneath her jaw.

Ava raised her hands to run them along Beatrice’ side. She strummed on the fighter’s ribs gently and felt her shiver on top of her. Beatrice’ kisses went south, getting wetter with each nip, down to her sternum until she reached her belly button. She ran a tongue under each breast as she toyed with the brown nipples with the pad of her thumbs. Ava squirmed under the fighter’s ministrations. The callouses on Beatrice’ fingers amplified the actress’ sensations by an order of magnitude.

She then took one nipple in her mouth, lathering and loving the tiny brown bud with the tip of her tongue before sucking on it. Ava gasped, running her nails across her neighbor’s bare back, throwing her head to the side to control the pleasure running through her skin in positive vibrations. Beatrice took the other nipple in her mouth, giving it the same attention that she administered on its twin.

When she was done she sat up, pulling the actress with her. They kissed on their knees in front of the fire, before Beatrice moved behind Ava, pushing the actress’ back so that she had both hands on the mantel of the fireplace. Beatrice gathered the shorter girl’s hair to one side, brushing her own nipples against the actress’ back as she did so. She then leaned forward, pushing her front to Ava’s back, and began lavishing her neck with kisses, making sure to lick and nip at her earlobes.

Beatrice reached in front of Ava to cup her left breast as she kissed her along the spine. The fighter placed her knee in between the actress’ legs, urging them to part. The shorter girl needed no encouragement as Beatrice’ right hand reached to the front and traveled south of her belly button. The fighter cupped Ava’s slit, before using her pointer and ring fingers to spread the folds and play with the actress’ nub.

Ava buckled against Beatrice and the fighter’s kisses came out more forceful against her nape. The actress feared that she was already so wet she would practically gush all over her neighbor’s palm. But the juices gathering within her allowed Beatrice to slide in one finger easily. And another. And another.

Ava knew that the fighter meant business, and she was just warming up. The actress tightened her grip on the mantel, preparing herself for the ride.

Beatrice curled her fingers inside Ava to the direction of her bellybutton. The actress’ eyes rolled and she rested her head back against Beatrice’ cheek when the fighter hit the spongy spot inside. Her neighbor began thrusting inside her, putting a slow pressure on her feverish flesh as she pulled out, before plunging back in.

The fighter continued thrusting inside Ava, her rhythm never faltering. The hand that was cupping her breast traveled to the top of the actress’ slit and Beatrice’ fingers played with Ava’s clit.

“Daddy,” Ava whispered breathlessly as she buckled against Beatrice.

“That’s right,” Beatrice replied, breathing against the actress’ ear to deliver another round of shivers down her spine.

Ava felt it first at the tip of her toes, the surge of cold needles traveling through her legs up to her center. It took two more thrusts and three more flicks on her clit before the actress came undone, waves of pleasure pulsing throughout her entire body she felt like she was going to float inches off the ground. Beatrice held her as she shook until her limp body crumpled into the fighter’s arms.

The taller woman wiped the sweat off of Ava’s chest before putting an arm under the crook of her knees, carrying her and placing her gently on the couch. The actress’ head fell on the back pillows with her eyes closed, and Beatrice let her ride her waves to the finish as she dabbed on the beads of sweat on Ava’s forehead with the palm of her hand.

It took a minute for Ava to still, and as soon as she did, Beatrice kneeled in front of her on the mattress, placing both hands on the actress’ knees to part her legs. The shorter girl’s head shot up at the realization of what the fighter was about to do.

The animal inside Beatrice was not done.

“May I?” the fighter asked.

“Please,” Ava replied, as she spread her legs wide, inviting the fighter to take a taste.

It was more than a taste that Beatrice took. She brought her nose close to the actress’ slit, taking a long whiff of the crevice. She then ran a hot tongue across its length, taking care to not put too much pressure on the nub at the top.

Beatrice spread Ava’s folds with her fingers, lapping on the juices forming there. She began paying attention to the actress’ clit, flicking at it in different directions to see what made the actress moan and squirm more. The fighter alternated between sucking and flicking at the sensitive nub before she inserted a finger within Ava, curling it inside before she thrusting. Her free hand reached up to play with a nipple.

This went on for minutes. The fighter never tired, never once lost her rhythm, until Ava felt it again, the familiar feeling of cold needles racing from her toes to her center. This time, the surge was even bigger than the last. Beatrice continued lapping up Ava’s juices, letting the actress ride the wave on her tongue. When her neighbor stopped moving, the fighter stood up and wiped her mouth, sitting beside Ava on the couch. The shorter girl moved towards her to taste herself on the fighter’s lips.

They held each other for a few minutes before Beatrice spoke.

“Do you want water?” she asked. “You know what, I’ll get you a glass.”

Beatrice got up and walked to the kitchen. Ava watched her neighbor as the few rays of sunlight that peeped through the cracks between the curtains kissed the profile of her nude figure.

The animal inside Beatrice might be done but the one inside Ava’s chest was just waking up.

The actress stood up to follow the taller girl to the kitchen. Her knees were still wobbly but she managed to catch up just before the girl could reach the fridge. She held Beatrice by the wrist and flipped her over to face her. There was a surprised look on the fighter’s eyes as the actress pushed her on the chest on the same spot as she did earlier, but only more forcefully until the fighter was backed away into the dining room table, her behind hitting its edges. The actress placed her hands under Beatrice’ legs, lifting her up on the table. Joining Shannon’s training sessions worked its wonders.

Ava pushed Beatrice on the chest once again, making her lie down on the wooden table and kissing a pink birthmark that she just discovered under the fighter’s left breast. She sat on a chair in front of Beatrice. Each of her neighbor’s legs was propped up on her shoulder blades as she dove into her center, taking a whiff of the fighter’s scent.

Beatrice smelled like cotton and salt, like a warm sea breeze. The animal inside Ava growled with hunger as it itched to sample a taste of her glistening folds. The actress spread the lips apart, her pupils dilating as she zoned in on every nook and curve of the fighter’s slit.

“Ava...please,” the actress heard her neighbor say from on top of the table. The animal inside Ava was famished, and if Beatrice was offering, then she would just have to take.

The actress took, and ravaged, and pillaged, her mouth seeking to suck Beatrice dry of the juices that kept overflowing on her lips and down her chin. Ava mimicked Beatrice’ ministrations, running a hot tongue along the length of the fighter’s slit, paying attention to each fold, and finally, seeking the nub, her prize, at the top. She alternated between licking and sucking, pouring love into that tiny pink button as Beatrice squirmed and thrashed on top of the wooden table.

Ava placed two fingers inside the fighter, her willing folds enveloping the digits at once up to the last knuckle. The actress mimicked her neighbor, curling her fingers inside her in the direction of her bellybutton. She hit a spongy membrane inside that made the fighter shoot her head up.

“Oh! Right there, right there,” Beatrice whispered breathlessly.

The animal inside Ava was emboldened. She continued thrusting inside the fighter with her clit in her mouth, feeling but not minding the burn in her tongue and arm. If Beatrice wanted it exactly that way, the animal inside Ava would not stop until it delivered.

The actress felt the fighter’s calloused fingers digging into her hair and scalp, pressing her head deeper into the clit. She sucked with more vigor and thrust with more force, her fingers reaching a blurring speed until she could feel the burn on her skin as each digit grazed the thin hairs along the slit.

The more the animal was fed, the hungrier it got, and Ava never faltered, taking and giving, and giving, and taking until she felt Beatrice’ insides squeeze around her fingers, her pelvis rising up to the air to meet her mouth, her core convulsing on the dining table.

Ava caught Beatrice by the small of her back when she came down from her high, cushioning her fall on the hardwood table. She put the fighter’s legs together and caressed her cheeks, tucking away the raven tendrils of hair that were stuck on her sweaty flushed face.

When it was all over, the taller girl lifted her head to meet the actress’ gaze.

“Daddy,” she said, with a satisfied smirk on her face.

“That’s right,” the actress replied.

Ava and Beatrice made love every day of the following week whenever they could help it. On the king bed, on the fighter’s abandoned double-sized mattress on the floor, in front of the fireplace, against the glass double doors overlooking the North Dakotan mountains, inside a little cave they discovered during their morning runs. They owned each other’s bodies over and over again. The unexplainable marks and inscrutable bruises on pale skin come morning were pieces of evidence of their obsession, the same marks that were lathered with wet tongues and loved with kisses the following night. Ava was a wave that kept swelling, breaking, and then crashing one after the other. Just when the actress thought she was at the trough, another wave crests, and then another, and another because Beatrice was the ocean that kept on giving, her waters vast and unlimited. The fighter’s desire was the moon causing her to tide over, and the depth of her longing was the earthquake triggering a tsunami of pleasure that kills Ava and brings her back to life in blissful cycles that put to question the need for nirvana.

Because Beatrice was already her paradise, a place on earth. Ava knew heaven’s coordinates on the map and it was the fighter’s hands up north, and the tip of her tongue down south. The bubble has burst, but the landing was soft in Beatrice’ arms. The actress knew it was where she belonged.

xxx

Ava, Beatrice, and Camila held another sleepover the following Saturday night before Sunday’s break from training. The fighter set up the king mattress in front of the TV screen once again, and it was Camila who chose the movie. The Little Mermaid live action. Camila wouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to tease her friend

“I wonder how it would be like to kiss Shawn Mendes. He’s perfect as Eric,” Camila thought out loud, shoving popcorn in her mouth. She sat on the same spot in the mattress where she was last week. Ava and Beatrice were on the couch again, cuddling under the covers.

“Eh, he’s fine. Smells good,” Ava replied. She played with her neighbor’s hand underneath the blanket. The actress saw a flash of jealousy pass across the fighter’s face and she nuzzled into Beatrice’ neck behind Camila’s back.

“Nothing like your kisses, though,” she whispered into her ear.

“What’s that?” Camila asked, turning around. The neighbors quickly separated from each other on instinct. Camila gave both an impatient look.

“What’s up with you two? You’ve been acting weird all week. You disappear into your room after dinner never to be seen, you don’t answer my calls either,” Camila asked.

“Nothing. Shannon’s program is just really tiring me out, I need more time to recover,” Beatrice replied.

“And I’m busy with...work,” Ava said.

“Oh, come on, you’re not filming anything right now,” Camila replied suspiciously.

“Well, I’m looking at scripts! My artistic process is long and arduous,” Ava said.

“Whatever,” Camila said, turning back to the movie. The neighbors looked at one another, chuckling silently as they searched for each other’s hands under the covers once again.

Ava thought about how her friend was probably feeling left out this past week. She knew the feeling and did not like that she was somehow responsible for making her only other friend feel that way.

“Hey, Camila, Beatrice and I plan to go for a swim tomorrow morning. Want to come?” Ava invited her friend.

“A swim? Didn’t you almost die in my hands last week?” Camila said, emotional. Ava gave her friend a hug from behind, forever grateful to her for bringing her back to life.

“Well, Beatrice figured, it’s not possible for the two of you to rescue me all the time if that happens again, and I can’t live my whole life avoiding water. I should learn how to swim. She’s teaching me,” Ava said.

“I think that’s a good idea. I’d love to join you,” Camila replied.

The trio watched the rest of the movie in companionable silence, with Camila asking Ava questions about what was happening behind the scenes every now and then. Camila stood up as soon as the movie was finished, shaking the popcorn crumbs off her pajamas once she was outside the mattress.

“You’re not sleeping here?” Ava asked.

“No, I’m uh, meeting someone,” Camila replied shyly.

“It’s one in the morning,” Ava said. “Oh, you’re hooking up with someone!”

“Shut up. I don’t have to tell you, do I, since you clearly won’t tell me what’s going on between you two. It’s only fair,” Camila huffed.

Ava and Beatrice stood up, helping Camila put away the food and drinks in the kitchen. When that was done, the actress walked her friend to the door.

“Good night,” Camila said. “Don’t do anything I won’t do.”

“That’s not a lot,” Ava teased, sticking her tongue out at her friend.

xxx

The following morning, Ava and Beatrice headed to the pool building after breakfast. The pair decided to forego their early morning run, figuring that swimming lessons would provide enough cardio. The fighter lent her neighbor one of her Speedos and a swimming cap. They started off at the shallow end of the pool, with Beatrice leading Ava by hand, who was still shaking. They were inside the building in their lonesome. No one else in camp has decided to go for an early morning dip.

“What happened to Camila, didn’t you invite her to join us?” Beatrice asked.

“Yeah, she said she’ll come, she just has to answer some emails,” Ava replied, slowly building up the courage to submerge her body under the water up to her shoulders. The fighter’s hands were on her waist, guiding her.

“We’ll start slow, okay? I’m not going to rush you. We’ll practice breathing first,” Beatrice instructed. “I’ll hold you around your waist so you know I’m always here.”

“Thank you,” Ava said, looking into the fighter’s eyes. The actress could not help it and sneaked in a quick peck at her lips.

“Hmmm, good morning to you, too,” Beatrice replied with a smile.

After the breathing exercises, the fighter taught her neighbor the basics of floating. Beatrice showed Ava how the laws of physics should allow her to float on the surface of the water without effort.

Ava closed her eyes and practiced floating on her back with Beatrice’ hands under her shoulders. The presence of the fighter’s hands gave her the assurance that she was not about to die. The actress was floating for two minutes when the taller woman removed her hands without her neighbor knowing. Beatrice took a few steps away from Ava, far enough to let her float on her own, but not too far for the actress to miss her presence.

The actress was floating steadily for five minutes before she opened her eyes. Beatrice was out of her periphery and Ava panicked, thinking that she was floating alone in the middle of the pool like she was last week. The actress flailed around, calling the fighter’s name.

“Beatrice! Help! Beatrice!” Ava screamed for her neighbor and swallowed gulps of water along the way. The fighter was by her side in an instant, her hands on the actress’ back lifting her up to steady her.

“I’m here, Ava, I’m here,” Beatrice reassured her.

“I thought you’d left me,” Ava said, holding on to her neighbor. Her grip was as tight as if she was on the edge of a cliff.

“I told you that would never happen. I would never leave,” Beatrice replied, leading Ava to the shallower part of the pool until the actress found her footing.

“Think you’re up for a couple more tries?” Beatrice asked and Ava nodded.

“I’ll be there every step of the way,” Beatrice said, smiling. The actress’ eyes darted down to her neighbor’s lips. She was about to sneak in another quick kiss when she heard steps behind them.

“Three years, and I could never get you to go into the water with me,” Ava heard a man’s voice say. She and Beatrice took a step away from each other to face its source.

“I’m sorry, Ava. I told him he should wait for you in the lobby, but he insisted on coming here. I tried to stop him,” Camila said apologetically. Ava saw that her friend had a canvas bag and a towel in her hands. She figured that her friend’s swimsuit was inside.

Beatrice looked from Ava to Camila, and the puzzled look on her face told the actress that she had no idea who the newcomer was. Ava sighed.

“How did you find me, JC?” the actress asked. Life outside the bubble came with its complications, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m starting to enjoy writing these chapters again. It’s 3:30 in the morning where I am. Thanks for reading and please leave your comments! :)


	8. The Visitor

Ava gently twisted out of Beatrice’ arms as she faced the newcomer, her body still submerged waist-deep in the pool water.

“How did you find me, JC?” Ava asked. The actress sighed. She knew she was not off the hook when she broke up with her boyfriend over the phone. One does not simply end a three-year stable relationship over a phone call. She might not be JC’s girlfriend anymore as soon as she hung up the phone, but she was not an asshole either. She had to admit, she had considered going down the immature route and blocking her ex all over social media, but she did not have her smartphone with her, and that move might cause repercussions in the gossip mills back in California. She was not ready to deal with that either. In the end, she owed the man a proper explanation, face to face. The actress had planned to do it at the end of training camp, once she’s back in Malibu and free to talk. Ava thought that she at least had half a month to not think about her ex-boyfriend at all before facing the music. Now, the music was in front of her, in a white shirt and that brown leather jacket she always loved on him.

“What is going on?” she heard Beatrice say beside her. Her face was painted with confusion as she looked from Ava to Camila and then her eyes finally settled on JC. The actress wanted to do nothing but kiss that puzzled face away but they had an audience. A very confused and clueless audience.

“There’s just something I...,” Ava stammered. She started walking to the steps of the pool, avoiding Beatrice’ gaze. She strode past JC to the bleachers where their towels and robes sat. The fighter followed suit, trying to reach for Ava to put her hand on the small of her back. The actress flinched, immediately regretting the instinct. A look of hurt flashed on Beatrice’ face but was gone in an instant.

The pair wrapped their robes around their bodies to ward off the chill and JC walked to where they stood, flanked by Camila with a nervous look on her face.

“Beatrice, do you remember me?” JC said, holding out a hand. Ava took a deep breath, wishing the fighter would forget so she could get rid of her and talk to JC, or get rid of JC and talk to Beatrice, whichever was easier. She looked at Camila to signal for help but her friend just shrugged her shoulders.

“JC? How could I forget? You shot my first Sports Illustrated cover,” Beatrice replied, shaking the man’s hand. Ava rolled her eyes.

‘Of course, she has a photographic memory,’ she thought. ‘Now, what are they going to do, grab a beer and reminisce?’

“I don’t understand, this is a private training camp,” Beatrice started, and then looking at Camila. “Did Coach Shannon authorize another photoshoot?”

“No, this is not -” Camila tried to answer but JC interrupted.

“No, I’m not here for work, Beatrice,” JC said. “I’m here for Ava.”

“Ava? I never knew Ava knew you?,” Beatrice said, looking at the actress as she tried to grapple for context.

“What, Ava never mentioned me at all? Duretti said you two have grown close,” JC asked.

“Duretti? Yes, we have indeed grown close. But I’m sure Ava won’t have the time nor the reason to tell me about every person she knows,” Beatrice replied, visibly shaken at the mention of her former coach. She looked at Ava for any clue but the actress found herself for once not knowing what to say.

“I’m not just every person,” JC said. “I’m her boyfriend. Seeing as how you two have quickly become close friends, I thought it would be one of those topics friends bonded over. You know, relationships.”

“Oh, my god, JC, can you not?!” Ava said, exasperated. “Beatrice, don’t listen to -"

“I, I think I’ll get going, I, I’m clearly interrupting something,” Beatrice stammered. It was the first time Ava heard the fighter grasp at syllables and words. Beatrice never stammered. Her neighbor blinked rapidly and cast her face down, tightening her hold on the robe around her body. Without another word, the fighter turned around and walked away.

“Beatrice, Beatrice,” Camila tried to follow her friend but the fighter held a hand up. She wanted to be left alone. The three watched as Beatrice’ figure retreated to the entrance of the building before opening the door and stepping out. The fighter left the door open, not bothering to stay for a bit to shut it close. Ava wanted nothing but to run after her and make everything all right, but the actress knew that this was her chance to close the chapter that was her relationship with JC for good. It would be easier to run to Beatrice without the weight of the baggage that was her ex.

“JC, why would you say that? Why would you tell people that you are my boyfriend?” Ava started.

“Because I am,” JC replied.

“I broke up with you weeks ago,” Ava retorted.

“Over a phone call. And you hung up on me before that conversation is even finished. Technically, I’m still your boyfriend,” JC replied.

“That’s ridiculous. We are people. What we had was a relationship between people. This is not like any of the games that you cover. We can’t still be in a relationship based on a technicality. I broke up with you, JC,” Ava said. She saw Camila slowly backing away from her periphery.

“Can you please stay, Camila? I need a witness,” Ava said.

“A witness? What for?” JC asked.

“Seeing as you like twisting my words. That conversation is over, JC. We are over. I thought you were mature enough to understand that,” Ava replied.

Camila stood rooted on her spot. Her eyes had the look of someone who innocently walked in to have a dip in the pool but ended up between a crossfire like she was right now.

“How can I understand when you did not give me anything to understand, Ava? This came out of nowhere. I was going to come back from Kuala Lumpur, we had plans for an entire week together. And then you lied to me and told me you’re in Brazil when it turns out that you are in a fight camp in North Dakota? None of this makes sense to me,” JC said.

“How did you even find me here? You mentioned Duretti earlier. Did you know him? Did he reach out to you?,” Ava pressed.

“What does it matter? What’s important is I found you and I’m here and I am going to make this right,” JC replied.

“It matters, JC because no one can find out where I am!” the volume of Ava’s voice started to grow louder. If JC found out where she was from Duretti, the former head coach might already have told more people about her hiding place. In which case, the randomness of her presence in a private training facility up in the mountains no longer afforded her safety.

“Alright, alright. I knew him from Beatrice’ photoshoot. There was a side feature on the mentors and I shot them together with their athletes. The two of us exchanged numbers and he gave me a call last week. Told me that you ran away with her former fighter, that you were in this camp. I did not believe him at first because you told me you were in Brazil. Besides, you hated your neighbor. She’s all we talked about on the phone during that week she moved in,” JC said. He sat down on one of the chairs in the bleachers. The tired lines on his face were only then beginning to show. Ava and Camila listened to him as he continued.

“Then, I did a little snooping. I looked at Beatrice’ social media, first, her official Facebook page, and then Twitter, and finally, her Instagram. There, I saw it, in one of her story highlights,” JC said.

“You saw me?” Ava asked, looking at Camila. The actress knew it was she who ran the fighter’s social media accounts.

“He can’t have. I’ve been really careful not to show your face anywhere,” her friend said, knowing what was going on in Ava’s mind.

“No, not you. Your shirt. Your alma mater shirt. I’m pretty sure Beatrice did not go to the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, but there she was, wearing a shirt that said _AMDA New York_ in front. That’s too much of a coincidence for me. Duretti telling me my girlfriend was up in the training camp of his former fighter Beatrice, who happened to be wearing a shirt bearing the initials of the acting school said girlfriend went to,” JC explained.

‘That shirt. Of course. Beatrice wore that shirt a lot because it was mine and I found it really sweet when she did,’ Ava thought. ‘We should have been more careful.’

“I’m just puzzled, Ava. If you became fast friends with Beatrice, that’s fine by me. I’m actually happy you made a friend. If you wanted to come to her training camp and cancel our week together, that’s okay. I can wait for you. What I don’t understand is why you lied to me and why you would hide something like this from me,” JC continued. “But never mind all that. None of that is important anymore. I’m just here for this.”

JC went down on one knee in front of Ava and took out a small red velvet box from the front pocket of his jeans. The actress heard Camila gasp from beside her. She felt an unfamiliar kind of fury bubble up from within her, threatening to burst into the surface.

“JC! Don’t you dare! Get the fuck up!” Ava said, grabbing her ex-boyfriend’s arms to make him stand up.

“Ava, can we put all of that behind us? Can you make me the happiest man in the world and be my by side for the rest of time?” JC said, popping the question. He opened the lid of the box he held to reveal a square cut emerald stone flanked by small diamonds on the side set upon a thin white gold band.

“No, JC! What are you doing? You are making me look like an asshole. I broke up with you. Admittedly it was over a phone call but it was the best I could do with my situation. And even if we were still together and none of this happened, I would not get engaged at twenty-one!” Ava tried to hold back her rage as best as she could. She has already made her decision weeks ago. How dare JC think she could be swayed with a ring?

JC closed the velvet box. Ava knew it was the first time she raised her voice at him. As a couple, they did not have many shouting rows. They did not fight much at all. No, they never did anything that elevated Ava’s heart rate as much as now.

Her ex-boyfriend got up from his knees. “That really hurt, you know.”

“I’m sorry. I know it hurt when I broke up with you, but this?” Ava said, gesturing to the velvet box in JC’s hand. “This is on you. You know I’ve never hinted that I wanted to get married. Jesus! I have loads left to do before I even think about that!”

“Okay, I’m sorry. I apologize,” JC said, waving his hands in front of him in surrender to try and calm the actress down. “Ava, what are you really doing here?”

The actress blinked. It was a fair question, regrettably one she could not answer.

“I can’t tell you that,” she replied.

“But you can tell Beatrice, is that who you could tell?” JC replied bitterly.

‘Were you really this dense?’ Ava thought.

“It’s not just about me, JC. Not everything is about me anymore. This whole thing is bigger than me,” Ava replied.

“And yet you let her be a part of it,” JC said.

“JC, are we done here? I need to check on Beatrice,” Ava replied. “I need to fix the misunderstanding your presence has caused.”

“You are worried about what she is thinking right now when we are in the middle of an important conversation?” JC began. There was anger on his face, and then confusion, and then a moment of realization.

“Oh? _Oh_ ,” JC said. He blinked multiple times and the actress knew that he has finally accepted that things were out of his control. “When Duretti said you two have grown close, he meant...”

“Of course, that was what he was insinuating. You were just too dense to pick up on that. You did not know I had it in me because you never really knew me,” Ava said, her thread of patience threatening to break.

“Since when did you like girls? How come I did not know this?” JC asked, scratching the back of his head.

“Not until recently. Not until I met her,” Ava admitted, calming down at the hint of her ex-boyfriend’s confusion. He really was that dense indeed.

“You’ve been gone for three weeks, were you doing it while we were...while we were...,” JC tried to speak.

“No, of course not. I wouldn’t do that to both of you. I broke up with you first before we even began,” Ava assured the man. She saw Camila give her a look of confusion and then hurt.

“Began? Began what?” Camila interjected.

“Us. It’s a thing. I’m sorry you had to find out this way, Camila,” Ava said, giving her friend an apologetic look. Camila crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked away.

Ava sighed. She thought she could fix things but they are only getting out of hand. Now, she has added Camila to the list of people she has hurt before lunch. The actress knew that the only real way to make things right was to speak the truth. Maybe they were no longer together and he had the right to hold a grudge, but the man Ava had loved and had been with for three years could be entrusted with a secret.

“Camila, could you please go and check on Beatrice,” Ava said, nodding at her friend.

Camila dropped her arms to her sides. “Sure,” she said coldly, before turning back to walk out of the building. It was when the other girl was safely out of earshot the Ava started speaking again.

“JC, I feel like I owe you the truth,” she began.

“Now, you’re talking?” JC said sarcastically.

“Not about Beatrice. I don’t owe you that one. I told you this is bigger than me. I will trust you with this and you cannot repeat this to anyone. My life depends on it,” the actress continued.

xxx

“Ava, don’t you realize? Beatrice moves in next door and all of these bad things happen? She is nothing but bad luck!” JC responded. He had paced silently for a minute after his ex-girlfriend dropped the bomb on him and Ava was worried he would think she was making the story up.

“Can you quit yelling? And how dare you say that? She has saved my life countless times.” Ava whispered. “Besides, this whole thing started months before I even met her.”

“Fine, and I thank her for that. But why would you keep something this big from me? I could have been that person for you. I could have saved you countless times, too. You took that away from me,” JC reasoned.

“You weren’t there. It’s not like I could tell you these things over the phone. You just weren’t there. And she was. All the time. That’s not your fault and I am sorry that was how life worked for us. But this thing brought her to me,” Ava replied.

JC sighed, quitting his pacing to stand before Ava.

“Do you love her?” the man asked.

“I don’t know. What I know is that when I am with her I feel....brave. Like I can take on anything if she’s beside me. I am alive today because of her and she is the one making me feel alive,” Ava said. She knew she was being insensitive but she cannot help the smile that formed on her face in thinking about Beatrice. JC nodded, finally accepting the actress’ answers.

“JC, what we had was safe and comfortable. But we are still young. You deserve to be with someone who won’t settle just for that. You will thank me one day,” Ava continued, taking her ex-boyfriend’s hand in hers for the last time.

xxx

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? I could ask Camila to find you a room,” Ava said as she walked her ex-boyfriend to his rental car in the parking lot in front of the hotel. She was still in her robes and had her canvas bag with her things in her hand.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not allowed. This is a private training camp after all and I am a sports photographer. The temptation might be too hard to pass up,” JC joked. “Besides, I have a hotel room in the city. I guess I’ll explore what it has to offer before I fly back to California. Also, your friend looked pretty pissed at you.”

“Well, I have another round apologizing to do later,” Ava sighed. “Listen, about Duretti. Can you tell him you got me in trouble and broke my heart? I don’t care how you phrase it, just make it look like I am really miserable because he told you about me and Beatrice. I’m afraid that if he thinks he was not able to get back at me by tattling, he might still try and spread the word to other people. And you know the real reason why I am hiding up here.”

“Don’t worry about Duretti. I’ll deal with him. He won’t bother you and your secret is safe with me. This is a pretty big task you are taking on and I’ve never been more proud of you. Just keep safe, okay? I know Beatrice could keep you safe. She is _The Beast_ after all. Just watch your back as well, okay? I’ll try to keep my eyes and ears peeled in California, try to find out from my contacts whatever is going on over there while you’re here,” JC promised.

“Just don’t be a stranger, okay? We went through a lot during our three years together and you’ve been there for me just when I was starting out again. I’d hate for all of that to go to waste,” Ava replied.

“I won’t. I’m privileged enough to know your burner phone number,” JC replied, smiling. The actress gave her ex-boyfriend a tight hug and he gave her a chaste kiss on the temple in return.

“I’ll text when I’m at the hotel,” he whispered, before letting go.

“‘Bye, JC. Thank you for everything,” Ava replied, not knowing when she’ll see him again. “Drive safe.”

JC gave the actress a million-dollar smile before he boarded the Hyundai he rented. That smile made Ava fall for him years ago, made her heart flutter in the days in between, and now made her feel grateful that she was not losing him as a friend. The photographer backed away from his parking spot before exiting the driveway that led to the road back to the city. The actress waved goodbye until the SUV was out of sight.

Ava felt a burden lifted from her chest. She had ticked off JC’s name in the list of people she had to make up to. The task that remains now was apologizing to Camila, and most importantly, clearing things up with Beatrice. She wondered where the fighter headed off when she stormed out of the pool building earlier.

The actress looked up to the heavens and sighed. It was such a great day. The sky was clear and the breeze was cool on her skin. She had such high hopes of spending the day with Camila and Beatrice, but now, she must spend it apologizing to both. Of course, it would all be worth it. The clock was ticking, and they were already at the second half of the training camp. She did not want to waste any more time being in a disagreement with her two favorite people. Especially with Beatrice.

She cast her eyes down and as she did, she saw her standing on the lone balcony on the fourth floor of the hotel. Beatrice had changed her clothes and was now wearing a white casual sweater and a pair of jeans. They locked eyes and the fighter backed away, disappearing into their room through the glass double doors.

Ava ran for it as terrible thoughts fogged her brain. She ran to the hotel lobby and to the elevator, desperately pressing the number four button on the control panel as soon as she got in.

‘Did Beatrice see me hug JC, did she see JC kiss my temple? Did it look like it was anything other than two friends saying their goodbyes?’ Ava thought as she ran for the door to their room, fumbling inside her canvas bag for the key card. It took more than five seconds for her to find the white rectangular plastic, and during that time, she had considered kicking the door open.

She tapped the key card on the panel, rehearsing her first words in her head as she heard it beep and unlock the knob. Ava turned the knob, still practicing her apology inside under her breath but the room was empty when she stepped in.

xxx

It was Wednesday. Beatrice has not slept in hers and Ava’s room for three whole nights and the actress already had dark circles around her eyes as she thrashed in bed alone, trying to grasp at straws of sleep that just would not come. Her body just could no longer relax without Beatrice’ arms around her. She tried counting sheep, but the sheep all turned up with the fighter’s face all cute and cuddly and her neighbor was nowhere to cuddle with.

Ava tried to catch Beatrice during training but she was always surrounded by people. Staff, sparring partners, therapists, the fighter was never alone and the actress had the suspicion that she was doing it on purpose. Ava did not want to make the issue bigger than it already is, so she was hoping to catch the fighter by her lonesome. She had no luck no matter how hard she tried.

It was training time, and the actress was in the boxing gym trying once more to take her chance. She ran up to Shannon to chat up the coach.

“Hey, is it time for skills? You are going to partner me with Beatrice, right?” Ava asked. Shannon took a look at her clipboard and shook her head.

“Sorry, Beatrice requested Sarah for today,” the coach replied. She gave the actress a sympathetic look and tapped her on the shoulder. Ava gave the fighter a longing look from afar as she shadowboxed in one corner of the gym.

“Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay. She’s not one to hold grudges,” Shannon offered.

“What makes you think I was the one who did anything wrong?” Ava retorted.

“Fair. Then don’t hold a grudge,” Shannon said, winking at the actress before the bell rang across the gym signaling the beginning of the first round of skills training. Beatrice quit shadowboxing and partnered up with Sarah for the footwork drills.

The actress dropped her shoulders and walked to the long tables where the water and the snacks were located. Camila stood there fiddling with her phone. She glanced up upon hearing someone approaching and locked eyes with Ava for the first time in three days. Camila pretended not to see the actress and went back to her phone.

Ava approached her from behind and saw that she was going over Beatrice’ Instagram page.

“Come on, Camila, you know that I’m here,” Ava said. Her friend pocketed her phone and turned to look at her.

“Yes, and?” Camila replied.

“Please, Camila. Beatrice is not speaking with me. Not you, too? I’m sorry we did not tell you. It’s not like we are in a relationship or something. We’ve just been, you know...,” Ava began.

“Been what?” Camila pried.

“Mghbsh,” Ava mumbled beneath her breath.

“What’s that?,” Camila asked, now impatient.

“Sleeping together,” Ava whispered.

“Oh my god!” Camila gasped. Several heads turned towards their direction and Camila took the actress by the hand to lead her out of the gym.

Once outside and safe from prying ears, Camila stood in front of Ava and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Since when?” she asked.

“Since that afternoon I almost drowned in the pool,” Ava admitted. “But we’ve been sleeping on the same bed a week before that.”

“So, when we had those sleepovers and you were both under the covers, you were probably doing things literally behind my back!” Camila accused Ava.

“Yes and no. Not really. We were just holding hands and cuddling. That’s all,” Ava replied.

Camila sighed. “So, no labels yet?”

Ava shook her head. “None. We’ve never talked about it. But you can label us horny! Haha!”

“Oh, shut up,” Camila replied. “Although Beatrice is currently not speaking with you. She even moved out of your room. There is obviously some jealousy there and she probably thinks there is some unspoken exclusivity going on. That’s a positive sign, right?”

“I guess so, although I don’t like it that we are not speaking with each other,” Ava replied. The actress leaned agains a wall of the gym and her friend stood beside her.

“I’m sorry I got mad. I didn’t like that I found out through JC, but I know now that I was out of line. You guys can tell me whatever you’re comfortable telling me whenever you are ready,” Camila took Ava’s hand and the actress squeezed it back.

“Thank you, Camila. I’d have wanted for you to be the first to find out. This whole JC affair just came out of nowhere,” Ava replied.

“Also, I’m really sorry about the shirt. If it was not for that Instagram story, JC would not have been able to confirm what that asshole Duretti told him,” Camila said, her voice laced with guilt. “I’ve been scrubbing Bea’s social media off of any clues.”

“It’s okay. We didn’t know JC would be looking. Besides, at least we found out what Duretti was up to. JC said he’ll take care of him,” Ava replied. “So, how is Beatrice?”

“I don’t really know, Ava. The last time she spoke to me was when she asked me to get her a room of her own. I gave her Duretti’s former room which was on my floor. She is not speaking to me as well,” Camila answered. “She told me she knows that I know about how JC is your boyfriend. Then, not a single word after that. Of course, I only know because I don’t live under a rock unlike her.”

“Hold up, what did you say?,” Ava asked.

“That I don’t live under a rock like Beatrice?” Camila replied, confused.

“No, no, before that,” Ava said.

“She said that I know about how JC is your boyfriend,” Camila replied.

“Camila, I broke up with JC weeks ago, remember? Before I let anything happen between us. Beatrice might have thought I used her to cheat on someone,” Ava said. The actress now realized that the fighter’s behavior was a lot more than her being jealous. It was about Beatrice being honorable. She probably felt bad thinking that the actress used her to hurt someone else.

“Dude, you have to find a way to talk to her. Beatrice is stubborn. She almost never asks for help. She cannot figure this out on her own. You have to be the one to seek her,” Camila replied. “If she’s worth that much to you.”

“Of course she is,” Ava said and sighed. Things were just starting to get good. “How would I, though? She’s never alone. I think she surrounds herself with people on purpose. And she never goes to the room. She still has some things in our shared closet that I wish she would need and that she has no choice but to take so that I could get even a minute alone with her.”

“I try knocking on the door of the room you got for her. I hear movement inside but she never opens it for me. I guess she would back away whenever she sees that it’s just me through the peephole,” the actress continued. “Are you sure it’s the right room?”

“Of course, it is the right room, I was the one who arranged it. Listen, if there is someone who knows when Beatrice is alone, it’s you. You’ve lived with her for almost three weeks now. You got this,” Camila placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder to reassure her. “Obviously, training hours and evenings are not working. Just think.”

Ava mulled over Camila’s words. Trying to talk to Beatrice during training hours and evenings did prove futile. And the fighter disappears during lunch. Her only waking hours remaining would be...

“I think I have an idea,” Ava replied.

“Great! Then do it quickly. Speaking as your friend, I’ll tell you to take all the time you need. But speaking as Beatrice’ manager, I don’t want this issue between you two to distract her any further.” Camila said with a sympathetic smile.

xxx

The actress woke up the next day at about three fifty-five in the morning. The habits that she has cultivated during the past weeks with Beatrice still clung to her even though the fighter was no longer by her side. She jumped out of her cold bed to wash her face and brush her teeth, wanting to make a quick job of it and get out of the hotel soon.

She stepped out of the hotel in her usual jogger pants and pink hoodie, with the thermal wear Beatrice lent her underneath the clothing. She knew the fighter woke up at exactly four and starts off with a slow run. If she makes a sprint for it and with her five-minute head start, she has a good chance of beating her neighbor to the top of the hill which was her usual resting spot.

There were still stars in the sky when she set out, and she was alone, but the running path they usually took was well lit so Ava was not afraid. She began stretching, and then jogging in place to warm up, before dashing towards the trail as fast as she could.

She never ran that fast in her entire life. She knew that the fighter was obviously more athletic and had longer strides, so her legs gave everything they’ve got as her Reeboks pounded on the dusty trail and then up the incline to the top of the hill. The actress caught her breath at the top, crouching and resting her hands on her knees as she felt her sweat evaporate and meld with the cool early morning breeze. The sun did not look like it would rise any time soon. The dark sky was slowly turning a shade of violet, but the actress thought it would be another one and half hours before the first rays of the sun would kiss the North Dakotan skies. Ava hid behind one of the three oak trees at the top of the hill, the one where she usually rested her back after the first sprint. She did not want to give the fighter a chance to run away and change her course in case she spots her.

The actress felt silly waiting for her neighbor in stealth and at the break of dawn. If she did not have such pure intentions, one could mistake her actions as bordering on stalking. Everything that she has been doing to try and talk to Beatrice were off-brand. All those actors and singers she had enjoyed the attention of but rejected, in the end, would probably laugh if they found out. Ava has long accepted that she has been reduced to a person who pines for Beatrice, but now, she was also someone who would scheme and sprint before sunlight just for a chance to make things right with her. The actress no longer cared. She really missed the fighter and she thought she would not survive another day of her neighbor ignoring her.

The sound of footsteps pounding on damp grass punctuated by heavy breathing pulled Ava away from her thoughts. She peeked from behind the oak tree and saw the looming figure of Beatrice as she sprinted up the hill. She stopped at the top to rest, breathing in the cool mountain air as she placed her hands on her hips to stretch her back and look at the sky. From the shadows, Ava saw her profile: her eyelashes were unbelievably visible even from a distance, like refined cursive handwriting leading to the smooth stroke of her strong nose bridge and finished with a flourishing loop that was the bowstring curve of her lips. Beatrice held her face to the heavens, feeling one with the world, the same way she did when Ava saw her leaning by the hood of their car on their way to North Dakota many moons ago. The actress did not know her much then but had enjoyed seeing her at peace and so in tune with her surroundings. It was almost criminal that she now had to interrupt her neighbor to reveal herself.

Ava cleared her throat as she stepped out from behind the tree in order to not startle the fighter.

“Beatrice,” she whispered. The actress saw the fighter tense up as she lowered her eyes to meet hers. Ava almost regretted interrupting her zen and considered for a moment running back to the hotel to leave her alone.

“Ava,” the fighter replied. It was the first time in three days that the actress heard her neighbor say her name and she realized that waking up at four in the morning to try and catch her was nothing. She would move heaven and hell just hear Beatrice say her name again. “What are you doing here?”

“I was waiting for you. We need to talk. Please,” Ava said, walking towards the fighter who looked to her side and would not meet her eyes.

“What is there to talk about? I heard it all,” Beatrice replied and began walking away.

“No, you have not heard everything. Have you even listened to me?,” Ava asked, trying to follow after the fighter’s footsteps. “Where are you going? I’m still talking to you.”

“If you want to talk, you better follow me. I can’t do this while standing up. Let’s go,” the fighter said as she started on a light jog. Ava rolled her eyes behind her neighbor’s back. This was Beatrice being Beatrice. Multitasking and efficient. The actress hated it and loved it at the same time.

The pair jogged for ten more minutes in their usual path in silence. The actress found that she could not pour out her emotions while running, so she reserved her thoughts for when they cool off into a walk. The fighter started slowing down her pace when they passed by a big grey rock on the side of the trail that was their marker.

It was Beatrice who spoke first, still walking. “You used me, Ava. The things I did with you hurt someone else and I did not even know it until he had to say it to my face,” the fighter said bitterly.

“Things? Do you think what we did with each other every night were just things? I thought they meant more to you. You told me it was not just warmth,” Ava replied, hurt.

“Of course they mean something more. Do you think I would care this much if they didn’t?” Beatrice retorted. The dust of the trail path they were walking at slowly melded into the grass and broken twigs, but the actress trusted that her neighbor knew her way around so she followed her as she continued to a brisk walk, not wanting her heart rate to get any lower.

“So, you care, but did not care enough to ask,” Ava replied.

“He went all the way here to this private training camp, which by the way is supposed to be your hiding place, and said that he was your boyfriend. I saw him go down on one knee, saw him present you with that small box before I turned and ran away. Anyway, I know it’s stupid. I know I have no right but it does not make it hurt any less,” Beatrice said. There was a tinge of sadness in her voice that the actress wanted to soothe right away, if only she was not a bit annoyed at the fighter for being so stubborn. Ava did not know that Beatrice was capable of being this hard-headed.

“If you only cared enough to stay, you’d know what happened after that stunt JC pulled. Yes, he was my boyfriend, until weeks ago. I broke up with him when I started feeling things for you and before we even did anything,” Ava said. “I did not think you could be this stubborn, Beatrice. You think you know everything. You don’t think you need help and you did not even think to ask, if not me, then Camila.”

“So, Camila knows,” the fighter replied, chuckling sarcastically.

“Beatrice, I am a Hollywood actress! My comeback movie was number one for weeks! I am a household name! I’m not just some sorry girl you picked up on the street to try and save. Camila knew JC was my boyfriend because people just know these things about my life. But you did not think to ask. No, you think you know everything, you think you know what I need, what sandwich I liked to eat,” Ava said, losing her patience.

There was a dejected look on the fighter’s face. “You liked that sandwich.”

“Yes, I did! And most of the time you were right about me. But when you couldn’t figure me out, you shut yourself from me instead of talking to me? You promised me that you would always believe me. Why would you listen to the words of a stranger and then not even hear mine?” Ava asked.

“Don’t make this conversation about that. This is between you and myself,” Beatrice replied.

“Is it so hard to admit that you are wrong? Beatrice, you don’t have to be perfect. You can make mistakes. You can have flaws. That won’t change how I see you,” Ava said.

There was a shift in the fighter’s eyes. The disdain that flashed across her face was replaced by wonder, and then realization.

“I can have flaws?” Beatrice started, her voice childlike and innocent that it melted the anger from the actress' heart and she started walking slowly towards the fighter.

“Of course, we are all only human. Even if you are a far more exceptional human than most of us could ever dream of becoming,” Ava offered, smiling. She now faced the fighter, holding her gently by the wrist.

“Ava,” Beatrice whispered. She saw her neighbor’s eyes zone in on something behind her but before the actress could turn around, the fighter pulled on her hand gently.

“No, don’t turn around, don’t make any big movements,” the fighter continued whispering. Ava could feel every fiber of the fighter’s body tense up, and she knew right away that whatever was behind her was not good news.

If she could not turn around, she could at least look at the surroundings behind Beatrice and her periphery. They had wandered off from the trail path a few minutes ago, but the dense trees surrounding the pair were now so unfamiliar that Ava was sure they somehow got lost in the middle of their argument. That was one more thing they have to deal with later. But first things first: whatever it was behind her that was making the fearless fighter slightly shake with dread.

Ava heard a roar and Beatrice held on to her hand tighter.

“Ava, step slowly around me and get behind my back,” Beatrice instructed.

“No, I will not let it kill you,” Ava whispered back.

“No one is getting killed, just do as I say. We have to appear like we are one unit and bigger. Come on, just do it slowly. No sudden movements,” Beatrice said.

The actress did as the fighter said, slowly stepping around her neighbor, careful not to make too much noise with her feet. Once she was behind Beatrice, she saw the subject of her fear: a North American black bear. Ava loved the city and the beach. She has never encountered terrestrial wildlife that was not behind the glass walls of a zoo. She certainly never considered being eaten by a mammal thrice her size as a way to go. Good thing she has always decided on being cremated and has informed her agent about her wishes. At least there would be no public viewing of her mauled face.

The mammal slowly moved towards them, curious, and the actress sensed how Beatrice stood her ground and placed both hands on her hips so she mimicked the same. The pair stood still for a few minutes as the bear circled their spot, smelling them. Ava’s face was so near its mouth that she almost reeled from the stench, but she kept her face stoic and fearless, a total opposite of what she was really feeling. She could act her way around this. She should be able to, even though all she could think about right now were funeral arrangements.

It has been ten minutes to the actress’ estimate, and the bear began making popping noises through its mouth. Something was wrong, it was not leaving them alone as the documentaries she watched told her it should. Maybe it was really hungry and had a slow hunting week. Maybe it thought Ava was tasty. Beatrice certainly did.

The actress wanted to laugh but she managed to let out a soft whimper. Typical of her. This was a situation where there was no fight nor flight. The only Ava thing left to do was to not take things seriously. Why has not she changed at all? She was going to die the same childish and selfish person as she was before.

‘Oh god I’m going to die,’ she finally accepted. ‘It’s not human trafficking goons that are going to get me nor the deep end of a pool, but a fucking bear! Suck on that, Adriel!’

At least she was with Beatrice at the very end. At least she was with the person she loved. Loved? No, she wouldn’t wish that on someone she loved. It was all her fault they had wandered off from their usual path. If she had not been stalking Beatrice and arguing with her, the fighter would be on her way by now and sprinting towards the third hill. Again. Typical Ava. Thoughtless and self-centered.

The actress started closing her eyes, thinking that their strategy of standing their ground was fruitless. She was about to cast her head down, but from her periphery, she saw one of the fighter’s hands that was on the hip move ever so slowly to the pocket of her windbreaker, her fingers enclosing on an object that was there. When she began pulling it out, Ava saw that it was hard and black: the handle of a gun.

The fighter pulled the firearm out of her pocket and raised it in front of her, slowly holding the barrel on top with the other hand to unlock the safety and then aim the muzzle on the bear with both hands. Her neighbor placed her finger on the trigger ever so slowly, not wanting to do the deed until she absolutely had to. The pair waited as the mammal stared and sniffed at the firearm.

But the creature was not interested. The gun smelled nothing like meat and did not look enticing at all. It swayed its head from side to side before finally turning around to run away on both its front and hind paws. Beatrice tiptoed, trying to see where the animal went, but the rustling of the bushes from a distance told them that it has already covered a great length at such a short period of time than both of them could sprint in twice that. The fighter let out a deep breath and put the safety of the gun back on before pocketing it. She turned around to face the actress.

Ava jumped into the fighter’s arms, her legs wrapping around her waist upon contact and her arms circling the taller woman’s neck. Beatrice wobbled for a bit at the surprise of the impact but her trained calves and her fighter’s instincts steadied them in no time, her arms moving under the actress’ legs to support the limbs.

Ava's mouth crashed into her neighbor’s waiting lips. Another close brush with death only left her famished and more desperate for a taste of Beatrice. The fighter returned the kiss with the same fire, nipping and sucking at the actress’ lips and tongue with similar hunger and passion that Ava knew she was also missed.

When it was time to come up for air, Ava buried her face in the crook of the fighter’s neck as she unwrapped her legs from her hips to stand on her own two feet.

“I missed you,” she whispered desperately against the fighter’s skin. “I don’t want to fight anymore.”

“Me, neither. I’m so sorry, Ava, I’m so so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Beatrice repeated, her kisses on the actress’ ear punctuating her apologies. Ava drew back to look into the fighter’s eyes.

The actress felt it. She knew it was a long time coming, that everything that she has felt and feels about the fighter would lead to this. This moment. The words spilled out of her mouth and before she could think any further, they were out there in the universe and she could no longer take them back.

“I love you, Beatrice.”

The fighter was stunned. Her lips parted to try and speak but she closed them once again, settling for a smile. She took Ava into her arms, holding her tightly for a few seconds to shield her from the early morning cold as she kissed the top of her head.

“Come on, we’re lost. We need to find the way back to the trail path,” Beatrice said when she drew back. Ava nodded and followed her footsteps as the fighter tried to trace their way back.

“Emotions kind of ran high this morning, what with our argument and the encounter with the bear. What do you say to a dip in the tub to cool things down?” the fighter suggested.

“I like that idea,” Ava replied.

The fighter never acknowledged her confession, not that she was expecting her to. The actress was not fazed. She knew her love for the fighter did not depend on whether she loved her back. Even though it was now out there in the universe, that feeling was hers and hers alone and she treasured it deep in her heart.

Up above the forest canopy, the stars started disappearing one by one as the violet sky gave way to a lighter shade of blue.

xxx

“Did you always bring a gun whenever we went for a run?” Ava asked, curious.

“Mary gave that piece to me before we left. Yes, I did always bring it whenever we are someplace where the camp is out of sight. Inside the camp, it stays in a safe,” Beatrice explained.

“I’m glad you did, I felt a little bit safer when I saw you pull it out,” Ava said and the fighter smiled back.

“I have to get my clothes from the other room. You can go ahead and run the bath if you like,” Beatrice said, winking at Ava as they cooled down to a walk on the path leading back to the camp. The actress’ heart rate was still high, from the encounter with the bear or from finally kissing Beatrice again and confessing her love, she did not know.

“Oh, the bubble bath. You sure you have time for that? Won’t you be late for training? It can wait until tonight,” Ava replied. She caught up to the fighter to hold her hand. “I wouldn’t want to rush my time soaking in the tub with you.”

“No, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have time tonight. I can just ask Shannon to push the training to 9 a.m. We almost always end early before lunch anyway,” Beatrice replied.

“Why won’t we have time tonight?” Ava asked, confused, but the fighter did not hear her.

“So, just go to our room first and I’ll meet you there,” Beatrice said.

“I don’t want to. Sorry to sound clingy, but I don’t want to lose sight of you. Not after not having you for three days. Not after we almost got mauled by a bear,” Ava pouted. The fighter chuckled and gave her a light peck on the lips.

“What can I do? You are too cute,” Beatrice said. “But let’s walk slowly, okay? I have a stitch.

“Oh, are you okay?” Ava asked, worried. “Is it your rib?”

“No, just a stitch. I just need to breathe properly, just need some space. One sec,” the fighter said, letting go of the actress’ hand and taking three long strides forward. Ava saw that she took out her phone, her Motorola, from one pocket of her windbreaker and began texting.

“Who’s that?” Ava asked as walked behind the fighter.

“Shannon, I’m telling her to push the training to nine so she could inform all the others,” Beatrice answered. She placed the phone back inside her pocket and began scratching her nape, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves, and smoothing her hair. She then began picking on her nails. She did this about three times in that order.

“Are you...fidgeting? Is everything alright, Beatrice?” the actress asked, now really worried. Beatrice never fidgeted.

“Yes, I, I just really need to pee,” the fighter replied. Something told Ava that there was more to that but she did not push it, instead choosing to enjoy the cool morning breeze of the mountain and the sound of the birds chirping to start the day that she finally had the fighter back in her life.

The pair walked for about twenty more minutes, with Beatrice reaching for Ava’s hand. The actress noted her sweaty palm and noticed that the fighter took her phone out to check it once in a while. They had the sound of the birds and the crunch of the dry leaves under their feet for company as the camp and the hotel loomed before them. The actress saw some of the team members sitting on the balcony of their rooms, reading the papers or enjoying a cup of coffee before they started their day. A few waved to Ava and the actress waved back.

Ava observed the fighter take her phone out more often as they neared the hotel lobby, her steps slowing down to a snail’s pace as they approached the elevator. The actress saw her neighbor bounce on her feet as they waited for the elevator doors to open.

“Just relax, you’ll be peeing in under a minute,” Ava reassured the fighter and Beatrice gave her a weak smile.

“Are you sure you don’t want to head straight to our room to run the bath? You know it takes a while for the water to warm up,” the fighter tried one more time. Her appeal had the opposite effect on the actress who by now made it her mission to see the fighter’s room, knowing that something was up.

“No, Beatrice. I’d like to help you move your things,” Ava said firmly. She let go of the fighter’s hand that was now dripping with perspiration as they stepped inside the lift.

She saw her neighbor swallow a lump in her throat as the elevator doors opened to Camila’s floor where Beatrice’ other room was located. The fighter wiped her sweaty palms on the front of her jogger pants and smoothed them on her hair. Beatrice’ steps slowed down to a stop before the wooden door that Ava has been knocking at for the past few evenings when she was still trying to get a hold of the fighter. She fumbled for the key card in her pockets and the actress saw her neighbor’s hand shake as she tried to tap it on the panel ever so slowly, as if she was unwilling to do it and was just being held at gunpoint.

Ava heard the door unlock, but the knob turned from inside the room even before Beatrice could lay her hand on it.

“Hey, I just got your messages, why did you want me to leave the room? Where would you like me to go?” the woman who opened the door to the pair said, showing her own phone’s screen to the fighter.

The woman was tall and slender, and Ava craned her neck up as she looked at her, her dark raven hair falling just below her shoulders and on to the straps of the red knee-length dress she was wearing. She had a hand on one hip, her well-toned arm exposed to the air, the muscles visible under the smooth cinnamon-colored skin. Her smile that formed upon greeting Beatrice was automatically replaced with a look of surprise upon seeing the actress beside the fighter. Her gorgeous face was framed by two sky-high cheekbones, so sharp they could almost cut through the tension that formed as soon as she locked eyes with Ava. Almost.

The actress realized this was the reason Beatrice did not want her to see the room, the reason she had been shaky and fidgeting when Ava refused to go ahead to their shared room in the penthouse of the hotel to run the bath. She had a Victoria’s Secret Angel in her other room the whole time she wouldn’t open the door to Ava. God knows the actress never got along with the type.

The fighter cleared her throat and Ava looked at her for an explanation, one eyebrow raised. There was a fear in her eyes that the shorter girl has never seen, not during her sparring sessions, not even when they had to fight for actual life against humans and beasts. She swallowed another lump in her throat before speaking.

“Ava, this is Lilith. She’s just visiting,” the fighter said, casting her eyes down.

“Hey, Ava,” the woman said with a knowing smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are a little more than halfway through this fic and it’s been a joy writing it so far. Sorry if this chapter is a little boring, this chapter is sort of a bridge to the “mid-season finale” that is the next chapter. Thank you for reading and as always, I appreciate all of your comments!


	9. The Thread Goes Slack

The actress ran to the lift, pressing the up button multiple times impatient as she was to get away from Beatrice. All she could think about was the woman behind the door that the fighter refused to open for her for the past three days, and the text messages on her phone. Beatrice wanted her to leave the room before Ava could see her. Beatrice was going to lie. The wound of betrayal that punctured her heart was fresh and gaping.

‘What parent names their kid Lilith anyway?' she thought. ‘Wasn’t Lilith Adam’s first wife? And now her, Ava. Was Beatrice collecting biblical characters in chronological order? How organized of her. Beatrice being Beatrice. Fuck that. She certainly did not organize Lilith’s little excursion at the camp too well.’

The fighter caught up with her just as the elevator doors were about to close, stepping inside the lift with the actress and pressing the button for the penthouse.

“Ava, I know how this looks like,” Beatrice began.

“How? How does this look like, Beatrice? Give me an idea,” Ava said, wanting the fighter to suffer a bit by making her have to say it out loud.

“I know it looks like I have another woman in my room that I’m keeping a secret from you,” Beatrice replied. They both stepped out of the elevator and Ava walked to their room tapping the keycard on the panel and opening the door for herself. She turned around and faced the fighter just as Beatrice was about to step inside the room as well.

“No, you’re not going in. You’ve avoided this room for three days. Besides, you never let me in, never even opened the door for me when I was knocking at it wanting to talk to you. You don’t get to go inside this room just like that,” Ava snapped her fingers in front of the fighter’s face.

“Ava, I said I was sorry for putting you through that. I thought you had forgiven me,” the fighter said.

“Well, yes, before I knew you were a hypocrite who’s been keeping a gorgeous lady in another room the whole time you made me suffer by not talking to me for three whole days!” Ava was losing her patience. She crossed her arms above her chest and leaned against the doorframe.

“It’s not the whole time. Lilith just arrived last night,” Beatrice said.

“That does not make things any better,” Ava replied.

“I know. But you have to hear me out. This is just like a cycle. I thought you were still with JC and I refused to hear you out and avoided you. I was wrong. Now, you think the scenario downstairs is what it looks like, but it’s not. It’s the same story over and over again,” Beatrice said.

“It’s not the same, Beatrice. Because the whole time you thought I used you to hurt JC, I was looking for you, finding ways to talk to you. I was going to tell you the whole truth if only you’d listen to me. But you! You were prepared to lie and just got caught. You were texting her the whole time so she could leave the room before we arrive! You also lied then and told me you were texting Shannon. The bubble bath you kept telling me to run was just a distraction. And now, you try to make it seem as if we are the same? When will the lies stop, Beatrice?” Ava said. Tears began pooling around her eyes and the fighter tried to take her in her arms but she flinched away.

“Ava...,” Beatrice tried again, placing a hand on the actress’ arm but she stepped out of the way.

“Can you just leave me alone for a while? I need to think,” Ava said.

“Ava, please,” the fighter pleaded, but the look on the actress’ face was cold and unwelcoming.

“I can’t do this now, Beatrice. We’ll talk tonight. I need to be alone,” Ava replied, defeated. She was tired of having her heart pulled in many different directions. She was on a high after finally having the fighter back in her life and now, she felt like her heart was being dragged across a gravel road before being stepped on and spit upon.

“Ava, we won’t have time to talk tonight,” Beatrice said.

“Why not? Because you have to go back to Lilith? Do we share you from now on? I get you during the day while she has you in the evenings?” Ava retorted. She knew it was unfair. She has yet to hear Beatrice’ side but the actress could not help the instinct to hurt the fighter back, even just a bit.

“Ava, I need you to trust me with this,” Beatrice said and the actress chuckled. That was a shot in the dark.

“I don’t know if I still could,” Ava replied. “I’m sorry, Beatrice. Can you just go? I’ll see you during training.”

“You would still go to training?” the fighter asked.

“Yes. Don’t worry, I won’t disappear on you unlike you did with me,” Ava replied as she closed the door on her neighbor’s face.

xxx

Ava arrived a few hours later at the boxing gym in the middle of a sparring session. She was in her white knitted sweater and a pair of jeans, not at all dressed for any physical activity.

Beatrice was inside the ring, trading punches and kicks with the tall girl, Yco. She had been sparring more often with the girl during the last training block. Shannon told Ava that it was a good fit because Crimson, the one Beatrice was going to fight at the end of the month, was at least six inches taller than her neighbor and almost the same height as Natalie Yco.

Camila approached the actress, looking at her from head to foot.

“Not joining skills training later? You still haven’t made up?” Camila asked, standing beside the actress. Shannon gave Ava a wave from beside the ring and the actress waved back.

“It’s complicated,” Ava began. She started scanning the faces of the people inside the gym, looking for any signs of Lilith, but the tall woman was nowhere to be found. “We actually made up this morning. I waited for her in our usual running trail and we managed to talk.”

“So you found a way to get her alone. I knew you could do it,” Camila replied, bumping shoulders with her friend.

“Yes, but we’re not okay again,” Ava said.

“What, she’s still mad at you?” Camila asked, confused.

“No, but I’m mad at her,” Ava replied.

“What did she do? What could she have done this morning to make you mad?” Camila asked.

“It’s not just this morning. It’s what she’s been doing. Did she mention anything to you?” Ava said.

“No, I told you she has not been talking to me. She finally greeted me a good morning earlier but she seemed distracted,” Camila replied.

“Figures,” was all Ava could say back.

“Hey, talk to me. I no longer have any idea what’s going on,” Camila said, stepping in front of Ava to face her.

“I can’t talk here. Do you want to have lunch together?” Ava suggested.

“I have a lunch call with UFC later, maybe we could do dinner?” Camila offered.

“Sure, dinner would be great. See you in the mess hall at around eight thirty? I don’t want too many people snooping,” Ava replied.

“Okay. I hope you are holding up alright,” Camila said, once again standing beside her friend. Together, they watched Beatrice spar with Yco inside the ring. Her neighbor feinted a left jab, making her opponent dodge to the right, opening her body up for a shot. Beatrice ducked and wrapped her left leg against Yco’s right leg, bringing both of them down on the canvas with her on top. The fighter grappled with her sparring partner, all while maintaining the upper hand. She wrapped her arm around Yco’s neck just tight enough to render her stationary but not enough as to actually block her air pipe. The taller fighter was about to tap out when Beatrice locked eyes with Ava.

Her neighbor’s hold on her opponent slackened, clearly distracted by the actress’ presence in the gym. Yco managed to twist out of Beatrice’ grip moving swiftly to the fighter’s back to perform the same move, putting her head under a lock. The bell rang all over the gym before Beatrice could tap out.

The fighters unscrambled on the floor, stood up, and bowed to each other before stepping down from the ring. Shannon approached her main fighter with notes about the last round. She was shaking her head. The head coach did not look too happy about Beatrice losing that round when she already had Yco within her headlock. They exchanged pointers for a few more minutes before Shannon moved on to Yco to give her instructions for the next round.

Someone threw a yellow towel at Beatrice who caught it on reflex before walking towards where Ava and Camila stood. Camila gave one knowing look at the actress before stepping out to give the two some privacy.

“What happened there?” Ava asked. “You had her, why’d you let her get out of your grip like that?”

“I just got distracted. I didn’t think you’d be here,” Beatrice replied trying to take the actress by the arm but Ava took a step back once again. “Are you free to talk now?”

“How, with all these people? I told you I’ll talk to you tonight,” Ava replied.

“Ava, I told you we won’t have time tonight,” Beatrice repeated.

“Why? Why won’t we have time? We’ve had the same schedule for half a month,” Ava said, annoyed.

“I, I,” Beatrice started, opening her mouth and closing it again. From a distance, Shannon called for the fighter’s name as another round of sparring was about to begin. Ava chuckled to herself upon seeing the fighter caught between wanting to stay and explain and trying to not get behind her training schedule and catching heat from her coach.

“I told you, we don’t have to do this now, Beatrice. Go ahead. Just try to concentrate more this time,” Ava said. The actress turned around before the fighter could reply. She began walking out of the gym, crossing her arms above her chest. Ava heard the sound of the bell signaling the beginning of a new round just as she stepped out of the door.

The actress wandered around the camp having nothing better to do. She peeked into the windows of the dojos she’s never been inside of, seeing that they looked all the same. Ava walked back to the hotel, moving slowly as she stepped downhill from the cluster of dojos and gyms to the four story building. She unconsciously searched every face she encountered for any signs of the sharp cheekbones she saw on the other woman this morning. Ava did not see the tall woman anywhere, did not catch a glimpse of her caramel skin. She still probably was inside Beatrice’ room, doing whatever it was that the privileged few the fighter has opened her door to did. She probably was in the fighter’s bed, wrapped in the fighter’s sheets, enjoying what the fighter’s mini fridge had to offer.

‘At least Beatrice placed me in a penthouse. Suck on that, Lilith!’ Ava thought.

The actress walked mindlessly, finding herself in the hotel lobby, stepping on the same dark red stone floors, in the presence of the same wood finish and dear antler chandelier that she has memorized by now. Ava felt stupid for coming to this camp, for going with Beatrice’ plan, for falling for her. She hated that the fighter owed her nothing yet she owed her everything. She understood how her neighbor was able to easily throw her to the sidelines as soon as the next hot person came along. Lilith had cheekbones and probably stood at 5' 10”, and Ava was just a little below the nationwide average height. She felt like a fool, a visitor who has overstayed her welcome. She did not belong here, she did not belong to Beatrice no matter how much the fighter tried to make her feel at home. And now, she no longer made her feel at home.

Ava found herself inside the elevator. She was lost in her thoughts and before she knew it, she pressed the number to Camila’s floor. She stepped out of the lift as soon as it stopped, surveying the sea of similar looking doors. She passed by her friend’s room as she walked towards the end of the hallway.

The actress faced the familiar wooden door, the one Beatrice would not open for her. She remembered how Lilith stood in front of her underneath that doorway, one hand on her hip, wearing that knee length dress that Ava could never pull off on the red carpet.

She brought a fist up to knock, but let her hand hang halfway in the air. The actress did not know what she planned to accomplish by facing Lilith without hearing Beatrice first. She knew how much it hurt her when the fighter refused to listen to her story. The actress considered her actions for a moment and decided against it. A part of her still wanted to believe that Lilith’s presence in the camp had a story behind it. It just better be a damn good one.

Ava let her hand fall to her side and turned around to walk back to the elevator. She hugged her arms, putting pressure on her own skin as the unfamiliar feeling of jealousy crawled through her skin like tiny little needles puncturing the surface just a bit. She felt it everywhere and all at once. Ava has never known the feeling of seeing the person she wanted in another’s arms, and now that she did, she wished she never got acquainted with the feeling at all.

The actress was suffocated. She wanted nothing but to pack her bags and take a ride back to the city and hopefully catch a plane back to California. She did not know where to start. The actress did not know the schedule of the shuttles up and down the mountain, did not know the directions to the airport, did not know who would be there in California to pick her up. Beatrice took care of everything. She always knew what to do and Ava has always trusted her. Now that the fighter has broken that trust, the actress no longer knew what to make of herself. She felt her wings cut off, her legs swept from underneath her. JC was still probably in his hotel in the city, but she could not ask him for help without hearing an ‘I told you so.’ She thought of Camila, but it was in her best interests to keep the fighter’s distractions at the minimum.

With the vast expanse sky above her and the city beneath, Ava still felt trapped up in the mountain. Mary should never have listened to Beatrice. She should just have found another safe house in California. At least she never would have known the fighter, never would have wanted her, never would have fallen in love. At least she could get up and leave if she was no longer wanted in return.

Mary...

Ava was already inside the room in the penthouse when she remembered her, the only other person in the world who at least had an idea of what was going on. The actress did not take her to be the listening type, but she had no one else. Ava’s greatest fear was once again realized. She was all alone.

The actress sat on her cold bed with her phone in her ear. Mary picked up after a few rings. Ava never thought she’d be relieved to hear the cop’s voice.

“Hey, Ava, what’s up?” Mary greeted her.

“Nothing much, are you at work?” Ava replied.

“Yeah, I’m just in my cubicle right now. Is anything wrong?” Mary asked with the usual worried tone in her voice.

Ava avoided the question at first, thinking twice about whether she should tell Mary. These trivial things were none of her concern, “How’s the case build up?”

The actress heard movement from the cop’s end and she imagined Mary crouching lower in her seat in an attempt to keep the conversation more confidential.

“I managed to convince three other witnesses. We might be ready to file the cases when you arrive," Mary replied.

“Have you figured out who the mole is?" Ava asked.

“All I have are dangerous accusations, all circumstantial, but I still have my eyes set on Superion,” Mary replied. “It’s been awfully quiet over here. I’m afraid Adriel is making a move. Be extra careful, Ava. Tell Beatrice to be careful, too.”

The actress did not reply at the mention of the fighter’s name. Mary somehow detected that her silence meant something, so she pressed on. “What’s wrong, Ava. Why did you really call?”

“Oh, Mary, I’ve been a fool!” the actress finally said, a wail threatening to escape from her throat as she fought back the tears she had been holding at bay since this morning when she saw Lilith underneath Beatrice’ doorway.

“What did you do, Ava?” Mary asked, her tone a little accusatory. “What did you do?” she said more gently, probably realizing that it would not help the situation.

“It’s Beatrice. I, I’ve fallen in love. I’m in love with her. Oh, god, I don’t know why I’m telling you this. This is so embarrassing, I’m so sorry, Mary,” Ava stammered through the receiver of her phone. Mary was silent for a while, probably stunned at receiving a valuable piece of Hollywood gossip straight from the source.

“No, you should tell me these things. Beatrice has involved herself with this case whether she likes it or not. She is your protector. Any relationship you develop with her may be the cause of concern or conflict,” Mary replied.

“There’s no relationship, Mary,” Ava said, sniffling. “We have not talked about that yet.”

“Well, does she love you back?” Mary pried. The actress let out a soft whimper, still trying to hold back the wail that wanted to come out.

“No, she did not say it back when I confessed,” Ava replied.

“But you felt comfortable confessing because...,” Mary asked.

“Because we’ve been sleeping together. We got bunked up in the same room here in camp and we’ve been sleeping together,” Ava said.

“I have to admit, I did not see this coming when I agreed to this plan. Did you think Beatrice intended for this to happen when she offered to take you to camp or...” Mary began theorizing. “And don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“I broke up with JC,” Ava replied. “And no. Please don’t think that Beatrice is some sort of predator. It just happened. It all seemed natural and it all just fell into place. I was actually the first to make a move,” the actress said, finding the need to defend the fighter.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, Ava. I mean, it’s your life but, as the agent who’s handling this case, I would advise you to refrain from having any relationship with Beatrice that could bring about surges of emotions. What will happen if you fight? If she decides to kick you out of camp, or you decide to run away? We can’t take any risks, Ava.” Mary reasoned. The actress was stricken. She had not considered that possibility before. Surely, her neighbor would not kick her out? Although she had already considered running away just a while ago.

“We’re currently kind of in a fight. I think she might be cheating on me. Although I don’t know how that would work seeing as I am not the girlfriend. I am no one,” Ava shared. She bit on her nails as she let out that piece of information.

“Jesus, I didn’t think Beatrice would be the type,” Mary replied.

“Same here,” Ava said.

“What do you plan to do? I’m not exactly the perfect friend to come to for relationship advice,” Mary said. The actress felt her heart melt upon hearing the word ‘friend.’ It would be nice if the cop considered her as one.

“Just listening is enough, Mary. I just needed someone to talk to. I just kind of feel alone up here,” Ava replied.

“I’m sorry, Ava, you know I was just looking out for your safety. Don’t worry, all of these would be over soon. I’m closing in on the mole, the cases are about to be filed and you would soon be free,” Mary replied.

“This is not on you, Mary. This is my responsibility, too. I collected the evidence against Adriel for months. I alone could testify on them,” Ava replied. “I know this by now. I know what I have to do. I just wish I didn’t have to do it alone but even if I did, I would still go through with it.”

“Good thing you don’t have to do it alone, Ava. I am with you,” Mary replied.

“Thank you, Mary. Thanks for picking the phone up. You have no idea how much I needed a listening ear,” Ava said gratefully.

“Anytime, Ava,” Mary replied before hanging up the phone.

xxx

Ava woke up from her nap at about three in the afternoon. She had missed lunch, but her conversation with Mary left her heart full that a cup of tea might suffice to calm her rumbling stomach. The actress got up from her bed to make herself some of the beverage, walking over to the kitchen to boil a pot of water.

Shannon’s training schedule is getting shorter by the day to aid in Beatrice’ recovery. It was her philosophy that a fighter should not get inside the cage on fight night like a very taut string that could break in a single snap. She wanted Beatrice fresh and well-rested for the fight, and a part of that is shortening the training hours as they were nearing the big night. At this point, training would have been over by four in the afternoon. She could stay in the room and wait for Beatrice for an hour. The actress was sure her neighbor would seek her the first chance she got, but she just was not ready yet.

Tonight. She would talk to her tonight, no matter how much Beatrice insisted that they would not have the time.

She found an insulated jug in one of the cupboards and filled it with the tea, ready to go to her secret grove in order to read and avoid the fighter. She stepped out of the room intending to grab a sandwich from the mess hall before heading out to her peaceful spot.

Ava settled in the grove just outside the edges of the camp. The sun was still high in the sky but the canopy of the oak trees shielded her face from its harmful rays. She rested her back against a trunk and took a bite from her sandwich. It was Beatrice’ recipe that the fighter left with the cook so that Ava could get it whenever she wanted. It tasted wonderful and bitter at the same time.

The actress took out her kindle from her hoodie pocket and began reading another novel from the Discworld series. She had bites of her sandwich in between sips of tea as she got lost in a world that had no Beatrice, or JC, or Lilith.

It was about three hours later that Ava finally felt the chill of the mountain air deep within her bones. The remaining tea in her jug has gone lukewarm, its dirty green dregs that settled at the bottom of the container were now visible through the thin layer of liquid.

The actress placed her kindle inside her pocket and walked back to the camp, craving the warmth of the lobby fireplace which fire would have been built by now. She felt it as soon as she stepped on the red stone floor. The heat from the flames tickled her chilled bones. She walked from the door to the elevator. The actress marveled at how small her world has become since coming to the camp. The room, the gym, the mess hall, the grove, the running trail, the gym, the room, Beatrice’ arms. Her life revolved around those places for the past three weeks. Now, she wondered if she had to cross the fighter’s arms off that list. Ava got inside the elevator and pressed the button to Camila’s floor. This time she would knock on the door.

xxx

Ava rapped her knuckles three times on the wooden door before she heard movement inside. Her hypersensitive ears detected feet shuffling through the carpeted wooden floor. The actress detected the woman behind the door taking a peep at who was on the other side. She opened the door for her.

“I thought we would meet at eight-thirty for dinner?” Camila greeted her friend.

“I have nowhere else to go. Can I hang around? Unless you’re busy,” Ava replied. Camila gave her a hug underneath the doorway and pulled her inside her room, taking the actress’ face in her hands and searching her eyes.

“Of course you can hang around. I’m just finishing sending some emails,” Camila said. “Are you okay? You’re not okay.”

Camila pointed to her couch so that her friend could sit. Ava plopped down on the cushion like the burden of the world was on her shoulders. Her friend’s room was a smaller version of the penthouse, with wood finishing and a queen-sized bed pushed to one side of the wall. There were a fridge and round coffee table that seated two people, but absent were the dining set and the kitchen.

“We can talk now, those emails can wait,” Camila said, sitting down beside the actress and draping her arm around her shoulder.

“There is a woman in Beatrice’ room,” Ava began. “She’s been keeping another woman there the whole time she was not sleeping in our room. She's tall, has high cheekbones, she looks like a model. Beatrice introduced her to me as Lilith.”

“Well, Ava, if Beatrice introduced her to you, it couldn’t be all bad, could it?” Camila offered.

“She only introduced her because I found out. When we made up this morning, she wanted me to go ahead to our room but I insisted on coming with her to the other room to help her move her things. She tried warning Lilith, texting her the whole time we were walking back to the hotel so that she could leave the room before we arrived, but she read the messages too late and opened the door for us,” Ava narrated. “Do you know anything about this?”

“Of course not, Ava. I told you, outside of training, I haven’t really seen Beatrice for the past three days. And she has never told me about anyone named Lilith before,” Camila replied. “I know how it probably looked like to you, but that was so not Bea.”

“You don’t have to defend her,” Ava said.

“I’m not. That was just not the Beatrice I know. She would not do this to you,” Camila said. “You saw how distracted she was when you appeared during training? She’s been disturbed the whole day. Her skills were off.”

“That’s because she knows she did something wrong!” Ava replied. “If it was just nothing, she wouldn’t have to try and hide her from me.”

“Ava, have you talked to her? What did she have to say about it?” Camila asked, now placing her hand on the actress’ back.

“We haven’t talked. I could not face her. I tried to build up the courage the entire day but I just could not. Camila, do you know I told her that I loved her? Just this morning when we made up. She did not say it back. I did not make a big deal out of it because she didn’t have to say it back. But then I find out that she is hiding another woman inside her room, a room that she has refused to open for me for the last three days? Do you understand how much that fucks up with my brain?” Ava said. Sobs began racking her chest and Camila took her in her arms, rubbing her back to soothe her. The actress held on tight.

“It’s going to be okay, Ava, hey, look at me,” Camila said, taking the actress’ face and wiping the tears off her cheeks with her thumbs. “I wouldn’t tolerate Beatrice in case she really was doing things behind your back. That is a terrible thing to put you through. All I’m saying is you have to hear her out.”

Ava simply cast her eyes down as Camila continued rubbing her back.

“Look, remember when Bea refused to listen to what you had to say about JC and instead sulked for three days? It turns out she had no reason to shut you off. What if you don’t have any reason to either, yet you are killing yourself over here by overthinking instead of talking to her?” Camila reasoned. “Just find out what she has to say. If you don’t like what you hear, I promise, I’ve got you. I don’t care if I knew Bea for longer or that I am working for her. I am on your side.”

“You mean that?” Ava asked, finally looking up at her friend.

“Of course. I am your friend. I would not be able to stand it if someone else hurts you. Even if that someone else is my friend, too,” Camila said.

“Okay, I’ll talk to her,” Ava resolved. “But I’m not yet ready. Can I stay here while you work? I promise I’ll be real quiet.”

“Of course, go watch TV. Let me just finish with what I have to do and I’ll join you. I’ll have dinner brought up here, too,” Camila replied.

xxx

Ava was in Camila’s room until eleven in the evening gossiping with her friend. The actress painted a caricature of Lilith when her friend asked her how she looked like, exaggerating the other woman’s features. Camila said she has never seen a woman with that description with Beatrice before. Time always passed by so quickly when the actress was with her friend, and it was only when Camila yawned three consecutive times in the middle of laughing her heart out that Ava felt it was finally time to go and face Beatrice.

Camila walked the actress to the door to wish her goodnight and good luck. One final hug from her friend was all the boost she needed to walk into the elevator and press the number four on the panel. The entire building was quiet. Everyone on Beatrice’ team, including the fighter, slept early, nine in the evening being the latest. The actress felt somewhat guilty for keeping Camila up. She stepped out of the lift and into the top floor of the building, the one with the single wooden door that opened to the room she shared with Beatrice since she arrived in the camp. She used to take that door forgranted. It was just another door in the sea of wooden doors in that hotel. Somehow, at that moment, tapping the access card on the panel and turning the knob of that door seemed significant. As if things would never be the same once she crossed the doorway and saw Beatrice on the other side.

The lights inside their room were turned on. The sound of flowing water from inside the bathroom told the actress that Beatrice was finally home. The actress was surprised to see her suitcase and the fighter’s duffel bags beside the couch, the ones Klaus brought up from the lobby during her first night up in the mountain. The actress walked across the room towards their shared closet to confirm her suspicions.

The cabinet was as empty as the day they arrived. Not a trace of her or the fighter’s clothing were found inside. Ava rushed over to her suitcase beside the couch and opened it to see that all of her belongings were neatly packed within.

This was Mary’s warning come to life. Ava and Beatrice fought, and now, the fighter was kicking her out of the camp.

‘But why were her things packed as well?’ Ava thought, unzipping one of the fighter’s bags to see a pink scarf carefully folded on top of some of her clothes and belongings that were inside.

“Ava,” she heard her neighbor’s voice from behind her and she turned around to face Beatrice. She was in a white shirt, a pair of jeans, and the brown leather jacket she wore on their drive from California to North Dakota. There was an impatient look on the fighter’s face as she rushed to her side. “Where have you been? I was looking for you, I told you we didn’t have time tonight.”

“I was just at Camila’s,” Ava replied. “What’s going on, Beatrice?”

“Camila was not answering her phone the whole time!” Beatrice raised her voice. The only other time the actress has seen her neighbor lose her cool was when Klaus threw her into the pool. Certainly, this situation did not warrant the same reaction.

‘Or did it?’ Ava thought.

“That’s because we were chatting. She probably did not hear her phone ringing,” Ava defended her friend. “Beatrice, would you calm down and tell me what is going on? Why are all our things packed?”

“I’ve been packing my things since training was over this afternoon. I couldn’t wait for you so I packed your things as well. Didn’t I keep telling you we do not have time tonight?” Beatrice replied, pacing around the living room.

“Beatrice, can you just breathe and tell me what’s going on? Why are our bags packed and why are you dressed like we are not about to sleep?” Ava said, crossing her arms above her chest.

“Ava, pick up your suitcase, we are leaving,” Beatrice replied, swinging one of her duffel bags on her shoulder and holding the other one with her hand. She tried to reach for the handle of the actress’ suitcase when Ava did not move.

“Leaving? But where are we going?” Ava asked, taking the handle in her own hand before her neighbor could reach it.

“Away from camp,” was all that Beatrice replied. She was already heading for the door.

“What? Training camp is not yet done, you still have at least ten days left before you are due to come back to California,” Ava replied.

“Don’t you understand, Ava? None of that matters anymore. I’m not fighting. My top priority is your safety. If that means I have to quit training and forego fighting, then so be it,” Beatrice replied. The fighter was already by the doorway, waiting for the actress who still stood rooted on her spot.

“What happened? All that hard work for nothing? Does this have anything to do with Lilith?” Ava said, almost spitting out the other girl’s name, her voice laced with disdain.

“Ava,” Beatrice approached the actress once again, taking her by the hand. “They’re coming, okay? The people who want to hurt you. They found out that you are here and they are coming. We have to go. We have to put as much distance between us and the camp as possible.”

“What?” Beatrice’ words finally spurned the actress to action. She picked up her feet and pulled her suitcase behind her as she followed the fighter out of the door. “How do you know this? Is it Duretti?

“I’ll explain on the road, come on,” Beatrice said. They stepped quietly out of the penthouse. Ava wanted to look back, wanted to give the room she shared with Beatrice one last glance, but she finally believed the fighter when she said they had no time. She stepped into the lift with her neighbor who pressed for the ground floor on the control panel.

The actress observed the fighter from her periphery. She has calmed down as soon as Ava moved to follow her out of the door and now, the look on her face was of pure resolve. She was a woman on a mission. She had a plan, a scheme which she cannot yet share with Ava for lack of time. Despite everything, Ava still trusted Beatrice, if not with her heart, then with her life. The fighter always knew what to do. Never mind Lilith who was the topic of a pending conversation between them. Ava knew she would follow the fighter blindly to the ends of the Earth.

The pair stepped out into the lobby, encountering no other person along the way. The fire in the fireplace was out, but the chandelier made of deer antlers was lit. Ava saw that the reception desk was empty and that the lobby was bare. The entire camp was asleep, all preparing for an early start tomorrow, not knowing that their main fighter would no longer be in their company.

The sky was dark outside and numerous stars shown against the black fabric of the heavens. Ava followed Beatrice to the cold parking lot thinking about Camila who was busy the entire day arranging details for an event that will no longer happen, and Shannon, adjusting the training schedule for a fight that no one would ever see. The actress felt guilty. All that hard work only to be thrown away because Beatrice chose to protect her. What a waste. She wondered if she would ever see her friends again.

“Beatrice, shouldn’t we call Mary?” Ava asked, remembering her burner phone that was still underneath her pillow in the penthouse. She considered getting it but the actress doubted that the fighter would allow any further delay.

“Yes, we’ll call her on the road,” Beatrice replied. She opened the back door of her Jeep and carried Ava’s suitcase to place it inside. She then tossed her two duffel bags on top of the actress’ bag.

“One second,” Beatrice said. She took out her phone, the Motorola she had been texting Lilith with just this morning, and moved a considerable distance away from the actress. She spoke to someone briefly on the phone before heading back to the car. The fighter looked irritated.

“Listen, I have to go and check out something in the pool building first, can you wait in the car? Don’t go anywhere,” Beatrice said.

“No, you can’t leave me alone here. Not after telling me that those who want to hurt me are coming for me,” Ava pleaded. The fighter considered this for a bit.

“You’re right, come on quickly,” Beatrice instructed, shutting the rear door of her car before trekking towards the other side of the camp where the pool building was located. Ava tried to keep up with the fighter’s quick feet and longer strides. The night mountain winds were harsh and the fighter wrapped an arm around Ava’s shoulder when she noticed her shiver. The actress felt like they were back in the old times, before JC and Lilith happened, except that they were pressed for time and trying to get away from those who wanted to hurt them.

They stood before the pool building in less than ten minutes. The trees lining the structure cast a dreary shadow on its grey walls. Ava saw that one of the doors was ajar and she stepped inside with the fighter, eager to get indoors and somewhere warmer.

The lights were out, but the actress’ eyes adjusted to the darkness inside. The moon outside the huge windows shone on the chlorinated water, bathing its surface with shimmering streaks. The water in which she almost died was still and calm.

Ava heard steps coming from the deep side of the pool. Two figures loomed towards them, slowly emerging from the darkness. It was that woman, Lilith, the face she has been searching the whole camp for all day, wearing a blue sweater and a pair of jeans. Beside her was a child, a boy with huge eyes and pale skin.

The actress shot her neighbor a look trying to seek for an explanation. She thought that Lilith was the subject of a pending conversation, one they could finally talk about once they are safely on the road, but here she was, walking towards them in the presence of another character.

Yet there was no time for backstories, no room for explanations. Another man joined Lilith and the boy in emerging from the darkness. He was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and a graying beard. A pair of round-rimmed glasses sat on his face and he wore a black button-down shirt. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and Ava saw marks on his forearms that turned out to be tattoos as he got closer to the pair. He was flanked by two men about three times the actress’ size, in black suits and with pistols in their hands. They did not look friendly at all. Did they just walk into a trap?

Beatrice straightened her back at the sight of the man. She placed a hand on Ava’s back and started pushing her forward gently.

“I found her in the parking lot. She had all her things with her, she was trying to get away,’ Beatrice spoke, addressing the man. The newcomer smiled as he drew near the actress, inspecting her face.

“You look nothing like your headshot,” he told her. The fighter still had her hand behind the actress’ back. Ava saw Beatrice lock eyes with Lilith who was now standing in front of the bleachers. The boy stood beside the tall woman, his head leaning against her arm.

Ava realized that Beatrice has miscalculated her move. They just walked into a trap. These were the people they were trying to get away from. The actress tried to figure out what Lilith and the boy had to do with anything. The fighter was silent since she last spoke. Ava trusted that she was readjusting the plan, tweaking the scheme. The actress did not know how but she was sure Beatrice was trying to figure out how to get them out of the situation.

“Very good, Beatrice,” the man said. “We’ll take it from here.” The man turned around and snapped his fingers. The men in suits approached Ava and took her by each arm to drag her away from the fighter.

“Gently!” Beatrice hissed and the man chuckled.

“You heard the girl, handle Ms. Silva with care. Adriel said not a mark on her,” the man instructed.

So Beatrice was right, these were the men who wanted to hurt her. They worked with Adriel. The actress did not resist. She was sure this was part of Beatrice’ plan, part of the scheme. Classic Beatrice move. Feinting a jab, faking a step in, letting your opponent walk into your trap. Ava knew the roles would soon be reversed so she tried to play along.

“Padre,” Beatrice started.

The man Beatrice just called Padre turned around to face the fighter.

“Of course. You fulfilled your part of the bargain, and I shall fulfill mine,” He said. And then gesturing to Lilith and the boy, “You two, you’re free to go.”

The boy ran into Beatrice’ arms and wrapped his hands around the fighter’s waist. Lilith remained rooted on her spot.

“I have your word?” Beatrice asked.

“Yes, yes, you have my word. I would not bother you,” the man replied. “Although it would be a shame to lose you as a partner. You were one of the most skilled ones. These men,” he said, gesturing to the two men who held Ava, “are a complete disappointment and just would not be able to hold a candle to you. Not in a million years.”

“You never treated me as your partner, Vincent,” Beatrice said.

“I’m hurt. You hurt me, Beatrice. I don’t know why I’m still so underappreciated when all I ever did was to provide you, freeloaders, a comfortable life,” Vincent replied. “Nevertheless, you know that the honor of my word is all I have. I set you free.”

“I’m staying,” Lilith finally spoke. Beatrice gave her a look of confusion and the boy ran back into the taller woman’s arms. “Beatrice has her MMA career going for her, and you,” she said, kneeling down on one knee to meet the boy’s eyes, “are still very young. You have an entire future ahead of you. I know of no other life than this. Padre Vicente, I want to stay with you.”

“No, Hermana!” the boy replied, hugging Lilith tightly around her neck. “You said it would be us three! You said we’ll never get separated again!”

“Diego! Can you listen to me just this once?” Lilith said. There was a tear on her cheek that she brushed away with a finger. “Go with Beatrice and don’t give her any troubles. Be a good boy.”

Lilith stood up and tried to pry Diego’s hands away from her clothes. Beatrice was there in an instant, taking the boy into her arms once again and soothing his back as he cried. The taller woman walked to where Ava stood behind the man called Vincent. Ava was sure this was part of the fighter’s plan, her scheme. She had been locking eyes with Lilith a while ago and they might have somehow been able to communicate with each other what to do. They seemed like they knew each other very well.

“As you wish, Lilith,” Vincent said. “You know what this means, Beatrice. Once you and Diego walk out of this building, you will never see me or Lilith again. You sure it’s worth it? You are welcome to change your mind.”

Beatrice took one more look at Lilith, who shook her head. Ava saw something shift in the fighter’s eyes. There was a resolve there that she has never seen before.

“There is nothing worth more than my freedom,” Beatrice replied.

Vincent smiled. “Very well.”

“Can I at least say goodbye?” the fighter added on second thought and the man chuckled.

“Of course. Don’t ever say I never did anything for you. Be quick about it!” Vincent said impatiently.

Beatrice left Diego and began to approach. Ava thought that this was it. This was the plan, the scheme. The fighter would go near and take the men down. She has seen her neighbor take down two armed men before, the addition of another man would be no big deal. Maybe Lilith had some fight in her, too. And Ava was no longer just the damsel in distress. With the techniques she picked up from Shannon’s training, they could take down these men with no sweat. Ava prepared her stance, planting a solid foot behind her and preparing her core just like Shannon taught her to. She was ready.

Yet it was Lilith that the fighter approached, hugging her tightly for far too long in Ava’s opinion. Her lips were near the taller woman’s ear as they held each other like they never wanted to let go.

“That’s enough,” Vincent said. The fighter let Lilith go, nodding at her before turning around to walk towards Diego. She took the boy by the hand and led him towards the exit of the pool building.

“I still have my money on you, Beatrice! You better win that fight and get me my money,” Vincent shouted after her. “Legally,” he added, chuckling.

Ava watched Beatrice’ retreating figure, still waiting for the moment that she’ll turn back. The two were by the doorway when she realized it.

This was the big plan. The big scheme. Classic Beatrice move. Feinting a jab, faking a step in. Beatrice was the trap and Ava walked, ran, and fell into her willingly.

The bitch was in it from the start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! This is the last chapter of Part I of this fic. I am going to get really busy in the next couple of weeks so I am taking a ‘mid-season finale’ break. 
> 
> Just one request, if you talk to me about this chapter on social media or anywhere outside AO3, no spoilers please!
> 
> Thank you very much and see you all soon! Always appreciate your comments!


	10. The Beast

_**“I felt that thread that had come between us, tugging, tugging at my heart - so hard, it hurt me. A hundred times I almost rose, almost went in to her; a hundred times I thought, Go to her! Why are you waiting? Go back to her side! But every time, I thought of what would happen if I did. I knew that I couldn't lie beside her, without wanting to touch her. I couldn't have felt her breath upon my mouth, without wanting to kiss her. And I couldn't have kissed her, without wanting to save her.”** _

_**― Sarah Waters,Fingersmith** _

_**The beast inside me emerged.** _

_My long term memory is faulty. There is a huge gap in my recollection where my childhood was supposed to be. The images of the first time I scraped my knees, the first time I fell off a bike, my first day of school are nothing but a huge blur. It was like I never existed before and then I suddenly turned seven. He told me none of those mattered. The only detail of consequence was that it was he who found me. He told me that I was lost and that no one from my old life bothered to look, but that he turned every rock on his way until he located me. Shivering, starved, with skin sticking to my meatless bones, but nonetheless, still alive. Still useful._

_Useful. That was what he valued in me and what I had always strived to become. From an early age, I became skilled at a lot of things so that I would still have value because I was afraid to become discarded. To become lost once again and this time never to be found. This was the only life I knew and I was constantly living in fear that the new memories I formed would join the gap in my recollection. Of me craving the nostalgia of the unknown. So I tried and practiced and fought hard to increase my utility in his eyes. In return, he provided food on the table, a roof above my head, some semblance of education and the promise never to lose sight of me._

_She still returns to me, though, at night. That slender blur of a woman that I think was my mother. Padre taught me a lesson when I first asked about her, told me that it was unwise to dwell on the memories of those who left. He was the one who found me. He was the one who stayed. He was the one who deserved my undivided and undying loyalty and I gave him just that. I was so grateful and guilt ate me up inside every night that I lie down on my bunk with my pink scarf under my pillow. The pink scarf that she tied around my neck with her blurry, slender hands, before she lost me and never sought me out. It was the only corporeal thing I could hold on to remind me that I was a person before Padre turned me into this beast, although I know that a beast is the only thing I would ever become._

_When I was about eight, I came across a story in one of Lilith’s picture books. I remember being in her room - it was twice the size of mine - and poring through her shelf of books and puzzles. Something in the cover art attracted me, a childlike illustration of an angel with a spool of red thread and a needle, and two people holding hands. I asked Lilith if I could borrow the book and read it in my own room. She just turned a wrinkly nose away from me and told me that picture books were for children. She was three years older than how old I thought I was and had previously declared the year before to our tutor that she would only read books without pictures on them. By this time, it had been a year since Padre found me and Lilith still hated my existence. She used to be the only child in that huge mansion, and now, she had to share her books and a teacher with me. Her toys, I would never dare to touch. I would only look at her from afar as she played with her dolls and her stuffed animals. When her mother was still alive, she would hand me a doll or two to play with and Lilith would throw me dagger looks from across the room until she grew out of the need to play altogether. Her mother passed away when she was fifteen, leaving her and a baby brother behind. Lilith began to realize that I was the only person left in the mansion who still minded her and began to accept that I was never going away. It’s hard not to become the best of friends when the only person you have was the other._

_The picture book was about the origin of love, and the angel on the cover was Cupid. A long long time ago, God created humans in pairs so that they would never be alone. He loops a thread between the hands of the soulmates, stitching their palms together so that they are connected from the moment they are born until the moment that they die. The humans were happy. Gone was the lifetime of longing and the years spent searching for the other. Your soulmate was there with you, sharing your first and last breath, hand in hand._

_When God took a sabbatical from creating humans, a playful cherubim named Cupid messed with a batch of humans before they were sent to Earth. Not knowing any better, he took a pair of scissors and nipped at the thread between the soulmates’ palms one by one. The humans were then born into this world as individuals, disconnected from their other halves, with only the lines on their palms to remind them that they were once part of a whole. As penance, Cupid spent his entire existence looking for the lost lovers. It was said that his arrows were actually needles as he tried to stitch the soulmates’ lives back together._

_I had looked back at that story at many points in my life. Of course, I knew even when I first read it that it was make-believe. Yet the lines on the palms of my hand always made me think that another person had been disconnected from me before we were even born. Maybe that was the reason I got lost as a child. There were a lot of moments that I thought it was Lilith. After all, it was Padre who found me of all people and brought me to her. I spent many nights lying in bed with her just inspecting her palm against my own. She had three horizontal lines across her hand versus my two._

_“You are always doing that. What are you looking for?” Lilith asked through dreamy eyes. The light from the moon outside the window danced upon her beautiful face and I could not help but thank the heavens for this stolen moment._

_“Nothing,” I replied before kissing her palm and intertwining our fingers. I remember being stark naked as she placed her head on my bare chest, wiping away the sweat that was there due to our recent lovemaking. I kissed the hair on the top of her head._

_I was nineteen, a year into my amateur MMA career, when Lilith and myself finally admitted that we cared about each other more than friends should. It happened naturally, like we both had expected we’d end up together. From a young age, I always knew that I was attracted to girls. Granted, I had been surrounded by rough men my whole life to even consider ever being with one. Lilith had a slew of boyfriends since she turned fifteen, all older than her by at least ten years. I never asked her how she met them, I guess that was jealousy on my part, but those relationships were over as soon as they began, anyway. Her father made sure of that._

_I never told Padre what I felt for girls. The man used to be a priest and would think that part of me was a flaw. Remember how I had to be perfect and useful? But hiding my relationship with Lilith was not that difficult. The people in the mansion are used to us sleeping in each other’s room for a decade now, no one was surprised at all that I moved into Lilith’s during the last of my teenage years._

_“Have you talked to Padre about Diego?” I asked as I stroked her back lazily. I felt her shiver against the curve of my own body so I gathered the sheets around us tighter._

_“Yes. He would have none of it. He told me Maestro Soliven was enough for him to learn what he needed in life. I told you he would never approve,” Lilith replied. I sighed. It was a shot in the dark but we had to try. For Diego._

_“Maestro Soliven might be a great educator, and you and myself might be the smartest students in the world because of him, but neither of us could earn degrees. Diego is very young. He could still have a chance,” I argued, against whom, I did not know._

_“He would just make him his right-hand man. Another...Beatrice,” I added, struggling to say my own name._

_“Hey, Beatrice turned out great,” Lilith said, lifting her head up from my chest in order to face me. She gave me a quick peck on the lips that I returned out of routine._

_“That’s not what I meant,” I replied. Lilith rolled over to her back beside me and took my hand, intertwining my fingers with hers._

_“What could we do? Really?” Lilith asked. It was not rhetoric. I took a breath, on the verge of divulging a ridiculous plan, and hoped that she would not laugh._

_“I have some money from my fights. We could drive far away, far from here. You, myself, and Diego. We could get an apartment and jobs, send your brother to a real school. It would be hard but I would have you and Diego and that would be enough,” I replied. I heard Lilith snort and my heart deflated a bit._

_“How would we apply for a lease, Beatrice? You need papers for that, identification,” Lilith reasoned._

_“Those things could be faked, you know that,” I replied._

_“And what of money?” Lilith countered._

_“I told you, I have the money,” I replied._

_“From what, five fights? You know Padre arranges those matches, and the winners are already predetermined by him. How do you think you would fair if you get out from under his roof,” Lilith said._

_“I am a skilled fighter, Lilith. I know I could win a match fair and square,” I said. When I first got into mixed martial arts, Padre gave me his permission because he thought that fighting skills would be useful in his line of business. This extracurricular became my main job when he discovered how lucrative it was to have his own fighter and be able to fix matches._

_“I know that, baby,” Lilith said, rolling over once again to her front to take my face in her hands. “But you know Padre would hunt us to the ends of the earth. The only way we could get out of here is if he releases us. It has happened before. Those who did him a great favor and asked for their freedom in return were released. We just have to wait for the right opportunity,” she added, ending that conversation with a kiss._

_**The beast inside me pounced on an opportunity.** _

_I first saw your face more than three months ago. Well, not really the first, I’ve been seeing your face all around lately but never gave you much thought. Just another celebrity, just another movie star, beautiful and untouchable. Lilith always said that my only fault was pride. I always thought that I had the answer to everything. If I had only cared enough to look, cared enough to pay attention, I would have known that I’ve been seeing your face since I was a child. You were my first family, and through the screen of the television, my first friend. If I had known, maybe I would not have gone through with this plan. But then I would never have met you and you would have remained disconnected from my palm, a nipped thread, broken and slack._

_Lilith and myself had been broken up for about half a year at this point. In hindsight, it never should have happened. We were raised as sisters, as best of friends. She was my lifeline in our brutal world and I was hers. We’ve had arguments, disagreements, and rows we would not have had if only we remained friends. Our waning teenage hormones soon made us realize that attraction was not enough to keep a relationship._

_Padre Vicente threw your photo down on the dining room table in front of where I sat. Lilith stood next to me with her arms folded in front of her chest. It was evening, and the lights in that room were dim just like how Padre preferred it, with moths hovering about the lamp that hung from the ceiling. I squinted to take stock of your black and white features. Beside me, Lilith let out a small gasp as she recognized who you were before I did._

_“You know her?” Padre Vicente spoke, touching your picture with a finger._

_“That’s Ava Silva,” Lilith answered beside me._

_“I was not talking to you!” Padre Vicente hissed and I could tell that Lilith was silenced by the look he gave her._

_“Yes, I recognize her. I don’t know her name though, Ava Silva is it?” I replied._

_“That’s right,” Padre Vicente replied. “Your new project. We are going to take her.”_

_“Padre, we don’t do that,” I tried to reason out. It was true. Our business was in illegal firearms, smuggling, some drugs on the side, but we never dealt with actual human beings._

_“You don’t think I know that? Think of this as expanding your skillset, Beatrice. You, too, Lilith, I need both of you on this,” Padre Vicente replied._

_“You want us to kidnap a Hollywood actress? That’s messy work, why not just let your men accomplish that?” Lilith asked as she sat down on the chair beside me._

_“Lilith, this is a delicate job, one that entails creativity. I know that is beyond you, butBeatrice right here is very smart,” Padre Vicente replied. Lilith ducked her head at the insult._

_“I’ve recently come across an opportunity to branch out in my business,” Padre Vicente continued._

_“Padre, our current operations are raking in money. Must we extend it to kidnapping? It is not our expertise, it could expose our organization and our other operations,” I said._

_“You make valid points, my child. But this is not about the money. This is about all the connections I am going to make. People in power. People that make the world go round. Imagine the access that that would give us. I can finally fix your professional fights!" Padre Vicente replied excitedly. “I was fortunate that one of them, an old acquaintance, reached out to me to help them with this little trouble and we are going to extend our assistance. I know of your worries. You have grown soft even though I raised you to be tough. You do not want to hurt Ms. Silva. I received special instructions not to lay a finger on her. That’s what makes this job special.”_

_Padre Vicente leaned in and the three of us planned and schemed all night.My part in it was limited. Padre had already invested a lot of money into my next match that he understood how I could not take precious time away from training._

_When I fought in amateur circles, Padre Vicente would fix the fights. He would make me drop some matches, or else it was my opponent whose own management was in on the scheme. Both parties would split the prize, but it was the bet money that he was the most after. When I had the opportunity to turn pro, he thought he could make even more. The betting pool has increased by ten to twentyfold. Yet he soon discovered that the professional arena was way out of his league. There, his influence was non-existent. I managed to convince him that he could put his money on me and I could win him a fight. He gave me a single chance. If I had lost my first professional match, it would have been over for me and I would have to return full time to what I used to do for him. I knocked my opponent out in the third round and she did not wake up until hours after they turned the lights off in the arena. I had brought in lots of cold cash for Padre Vicente that night fair and square. That night, I was not discarded._

_My role in the scheme was to act as a gateway to your world, a pseudo-celebrity that might have a sliver of a right to interact with you. I was only meant to introduce you to Lilith before I left for my training camp. It was she who was tasked to get close to you, garner your confidence, and lure you into the trap._

_We concluded that the best way for you to take notice of me was if you felt like you owed me your life. We planted that car to follow you around when you went for a run that afternoon. I was at the corner, waiting for you to pass me by before I set off to a jog myself. My heart hammered through my chest as I watched your back move to the gentle bounce of your feet. You were not listening to music, I did not know how you could stand running without that distraction. Yet I observed that your eyes were elsewhere. Your beautiful head was lost in thought._

_I had accomplished several other cons before, but not any of them were like this. Not any of them involved an actual human life. At this point, I did not even know what the man who contracted Padre for this job wanted from you. Lilith was in charge of scouting you out and following you around. I preferred not to know things about you more than I should. I stayed off the internet and the television for months, knowing that you’d be everywhere. That was the only way I could accomplish this - by thinking that you were just another job rather than another person._

_The job was not difficult at first. From the moment we met, you’ve always been so trusting. At first, I thought that it was a grievous fault, but I soon learned that it was because you were the best of us. You believed in me just like how you believe in women and in this cause you were fighting for._

_It was you who told me about the alarms._

_“Your house is big, you live there alone?” I asked, pretending that I had no idea who you were. Your cheeks were flushed and there was a big grin on your face as if you did not just get stalked a few minutes ago. I knew right then you would be an enigma. I could answer puzzles in a heartbeat but I could not figure you out._

_“Yes, pretty much, except when cleaners are scheduled to come over, which would be tomorrow,” you replied. “And someone else is coming over to fix the security cameras and the alarm system.”_

_“Well, I’ll see you around, Ava,” I bid you goodbye with a smile and opened the front, wrought iron gate of the house that Padre was leasing for the job._

_It was your revelation that triggered the chain of events that led you to the camp. I was supposed to leave for North Dakota the following day and Lilith was to take my place after I introduce her to you. Yet I thought that a single encounter with you was not enough to place me in a position to do that.Saving you from a more horrible crime than stalking might seal the deal._

_I called Padre and Lilith, telling them I found a way to break into your house to scare you into trusting me without alerting the police. We schemed all afternoon. It was a makeshift plan, but it worked. I picked your locks and broke into your house at around midnight. Lilith has observed your sleeping patterns for the past month and knew you would be in bed by then. I snuck inside your room quietly and hid in your bathroom while you were asleep. There, I waited for the signal of the sound of glass breaking._

_The man that I fought inside your room was hired, he was not one of us. He was as surprised that I came to your rescue right away as you probably were. Padre did not like risking his own men especially when the plan was made in haste._

_One thing about plans is that you follow them. You don’t improvise. There was no reason to. After the scuffle inside your room, I had accomplished what I came to Malibu to do. I had saved your life twice and you then felt indebted to me that allowing me to introduce another person to you would be such a laughable way to repay me._

_Except that I soon learned that there was a need to deviate from the scheme._

_Mary._

_We did not know you’ve been in contact with the police. When I told you to call the cops, I thought that you were just going to dial 911. Yet the authorities came in the presence of someone as sincere and steadfast as Mary, a person more invested in doing the right thing than you were at that time._

_I knew right then that this plot would not work. There was no way Lilith could get close to you without alerting the cop’s senses. She was already planning to place you in a safe house and I had to act quickly before we waste months of planning and lose you. I knew I had to get you out of Mary’s sight. I offered to take you to the camp, up north and miles away from her watchful eyes._

_I was surprised that she even considered my suggestion. She seemed like a smart woman and my plan sounded farfetched as soon as it came out of my mouth. Maybe it was my face. Lilith always said that I had a face no one would ever think was capable of hurting a fly. Like many of my opponents inside the cage, Mary had underestimated me, failed to see the beast behind these innocent features._

_I had to leave right away as soon as Mary assented to my proposition. I needed to go back to the leased house and apprise Padre of the sudden change of plans so they could have enough time to prepare._

_“I think I’ll head back now, try to catch some sleep before we leave,” I said, approaching you at the front door._

_“Beatrice, I, I’m scared. Can you stay? I have several rooms here, I just don’t want to sit here alone,” you replied. Your lips were trembling, your dark eyes were wide with fear. Gone was the puzzling grin on your face just hours ago._

_I wanted to say no. I already knew too much. I had known what you got yourself entangled with. Before you and Mary sat me down, I thought your trouble was at least related to our line of business. I inferred that you somehow got entangled with the Hollywood drug supply chain. The part that I was about to play in silencing your voice and that of many other women did not sit well in my stomach. I perceived you as a foolish woman who had all I ever wanted in life. A cause to fight for and the freedom to do it. Yet you wanted nothing to do with the task, wanted to run away from a responsibility you knew only you could bear. I guess my disdain came from envy. I had no other purpose in life but to remain useful._

_It was then that I realized that behind that annoying smile was just a person, scared and vulnerable. Of course, you were allowed to live in fear. I had grown up in less than ideal conditions and I still was scared of a lot of things._

_Still, I found an opportunity. I was presented with a great favor that I could accomplish for Padre so that I could earn my freedom, along with that of Lilith’s, and most importantly, Diego’s. It was just us three from the beginning, and it would be the three of us until the end. I had no room for one more._

_Or so I thought. It was the first of my mistakes._

_I looked into your eyes, overcast with the shadow of fear, and I knew there was no way I could leave you behind after the horror that I had orchestrated in your heart. I decided to stay until daylight._

_“Of course, I’ll stay. I can sleep on the couch, no problem. I just have to get changed.” I made for the door and you took my hand to hold me back._

_“No, you don’t have to. I think we’re the same size, you can borrow my clothes to sleep in, and there is a shower on this floor, you don’t have to go back to your house,” you pleaded._

_“Okay,” I replied, squeezing your hand before letting go. It was soft, as opposed to my palms that were roughed up by training and fighting, by all the punches and blocking. You made me shower on that same floor, had me borrow that cursed drama school shirt._

_It was my second mistake._

_I wore that shirt of yours, oversized and comfortable. It instantly felt like borrowing the clothing of a lover, like the many times I wore the oversized shirts of Lilith’s favorite basketball team when we were still together. I shook that thought away. I had acknowledged that the curve of your lips seemed inviting, the curl of your lashes, alluring. I was not surprised that you were the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. What caught me off guard was how drawn I was to your scent._

_At first, I thought that it was the fabric conditioner you used on your shirt, but I would later smell that same scent on your skin and mouth, warm like California citrus yet cool like the dew on top of freshly cut grass. You came to me in my dreams as I lied down on your couch, an incorporeal figure of fragrances from an orange grove standing under the stark rays of the sunlight that was your smile._

_I woke up in cold sweat. This was like Lilith all over again, my olfactory senses were the first to give in before the rest of my body. Good thing my brain was able to keep up before I completely lost it. I have not felt this way for a long time that the notion was foreign to me. I would never allow myself this luxury for anyone, but mostly you._

_“You okay?” I heard you ask from the top of the staircase. I had no idea what time it was but it was still dark. My contact lenses were on the coffee table beside the couch, in a case that you lent me. You descended from the steps, a blurry figure in white and with your dark tresses down, like a heavenly being that the naked eye was unworthy to see._

_“I heard you mumbling in your sleep,” you spoke once more. Did you hear everything? Was I calling out your name?_

_“It was inaudible but, it got me worried. You can sleep in one of the rooms if the couch is uncomfortable. It’s no trouble to set up a bed, really,” you continued. I sat up and reached for the contact lens case, but your hand beat me to it. You offered me the object, nestled in your creamy, blurry palm._

_“Thanks,” I replied. “It’s the jet lag. You should get some sleep.”_

_I could not make out the expression on your face but it took you a while to say something back._

_“I, I can’t sleep. Not alone in my room anyway. That was where it all happened,” you finally replied. Guilt got caught inside my throat but I swallowed it down in an instant. I stood up and pocketed the lens case._

_“Why don’t you sleep here on the couch and I’ll watch over you?” I offered._

_“You sure? You need your sleep, too,” you replied._

_“Again, jet lag,” I lied once more, figuring that I could catch some sleep a few hours before we leave for North Dakota. I did not really train in Japan for a month. Padre would not spend money on that luxury. He already blew a lot of cash for the training camp and its staff. The Padre was a multimillionaire but was wise enough not to show opulence. He laundered his money in many different ways that he confided in no one, not even me._

_“Of course. I need to pack but, I’ll only leave when Mary returns. I’ll make sure you have someone here with you,” I said. I saw you flash me a big grin through my myopia and I could not help but smile back in return. I walked to the bathroom to put on my contacts as you settled into the couch, using the same blanket that I’ve been sleeping in. You were almost dozing off when I stepped out and the last thing I asked was what you wanted to have for breakfast._

_“If I didn’t have to be on a diet?” you said cheerfully, “steak and eggs, scrambled and medium-rare.”_

_I resolved that I would make that for you as soon as you wake up if you had the ingredients in your pantry._

_Mary arrived a few hours later with a pistol, asking me if I knew how to handle one. I humbled myself and told her I knew my way around. In truth, I knew more than how to handle a firearm. My skillset included the concealment, transportation, smuggling, and distribution of munitions. I showed her that I knew how to work my way around a pistol, just enough to inspire confidence yet not enough to arouse suspicion._

_I was still wearing your shirt, it was the first thing Mary noticed when she arrived. Now that she was around to look after you, I walked briskly, almost ran all the way to the house next door. I had to call the Padre right away._

_Once inside my own room, I placed Padre Vicente on speakerphone as I scrambled around, putting and folding my clothes carefully into my duffel bags. I had to make a quick work of packing if I still wanted to catch some sleep before making that twenty-three-hour drive up north. The man picked up after three rings._

_“Beatrice, why did it take a while for you to call?” Padre Vicente said through the speaker. I heard footsteps behind him and instantly knew it was Lilith, rushing when she heard my name._

_“Are you alright?” she asked, worried._

_“Yeah, she’s fine,” it was Padre Vicente who answered before I could speak. “I heard it went well. Great thinking on your part, as always, Beatrice.”_

_Of course, the man he hired would have reported to him right away._

_“That part went well but, we have a problem,” I began as I sat down next to my phone. “She’s been in contact with the cops. There’s this one assigned to her for her protection, there’s no way Lilith could come near Ava without arousing her suspicions.”_

_“Joder!” Padre Vicente hissed. He knew there was only a slim margin of time within which I could introduce Lilith to Ava because I had to leave for camp. We would have to wait again until my fight was over, and by that time, Ava would have forgotten about how I saved her life twice and would probably in some safe house far from our reach._

_“Don’t worry, we can still salvage this,” I said. I waited for them to react but there was only silence from the other end._

_“Yes, Beatrice?” the Padre finally spoke._

_“I need you to sit down for this, Padre,” I said nervously. I heard the sound of wooden chairs scraping across stone floors and I knew they were in the dining room._

_“Okay, go on,” he gave me permission._

_“I offered to take Ava to the camp with me,” I said. “I proposed that she would be safe up there because no one would think that someone like her would be in a mixed martial arts training camp. That would keep her out of this cop’s sight.”_

_“Why?” I heard the Padre say._

_“Because she would be in a different state, far away from Malibu,” I replied. What didn’t he get about the scheme?_

_“Why did you make me sit down for this plan?” he asked. I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. I was still the child, scared of disappointing him, but at least we were not in the same room. I worried for Lilith._

_“I realized that I would be doing you a great favor by doing this, Padre,” I start. “I want something in return.”_

_“And what do you think you are worthy of, Beatrice?,” Padre Vicente replied curtly. There was an edge to his voice. If I was still ten I would have cowered in fear, anticipating the two days that I would go hungry because I had angered him. Yet the years added to my life gave me enough courage to continue._

_“I want my freedom, Padre. No more fixing my fights. No more jobs, no more cons. I want to live a normal life,” I dared say. He took a deep breath from the other line. I knew I was testing his patience._

_“You want me to release you for a single job, you ungrateful fool?” his voice was rising. I held on to the edge of the bed, grasping at the sheets and nervous for Lilith who might be the convenient receiving end of his anger. What have I done? I should have made sure she and Diego were safe first._

_“I picked you up from the streets. You were abandoned, a stray. I was the only one who wanted you, and this is how you repay me?” he continued. “You do not even remember who you were. You were no one and I made you who you are today. All that you are is because of me.”_

_“Padre,” I said. “This is an opportunity. I know now what they want with Ava, and I know why you want in on her world. This is an entirely new field of operation that I am offering to you. All the power you want, all the influence that you crave. All you have to do is take it and give me your word that you would set me free. And Lilith. And Diego.”_

_I heard him bang his hands on the table. Plates and cutlery clanged against the wooden surface._

_“That is absurd! Do you think you are irreplaceable, Beatrice? Do you think you are the only one who could pull this off?!” he spat._

_“With all due respect, Padre,” I replied, feigning courage, “do you know of any other person who currently has the confidence of Ava Silva, so much that she said yes to coming to camp with me? Do you know of any other faraway place you could convince a Hollywood actress to go to within the next few days before the cops take her away to some safe house never to be seen again?” I said, and when I did not hear a reply, “I didn’t think so.”_

_“Look, I don’t want us to part ways with a grudge and heavy hearts. Let me do this for you, for all the things you did for us three. I don’t want you to think that I was not ever grateful for you finding me and taking me in when I was lost,” I said, changing tactics and appealing to his emotions. “One last job, Padre, just like the old times.”_

_“I had planned to train Diego to replace you. I tried to toughen him up but I guess, clinging on to both of your skirts for all his life made him soft. He’d be a liability in this line of business,” Padre Vicente’s voice mellowed. “I know diminishing loyalty when I see it. It would be useless for me to keep the three of you under my wing now that I see that I no longer have your confidence. Execute this plan well, deliver Ava Silva to me and you have my word that I will set the three of you free. You’ll be on your own.”_

_“Thank you, Padre,” I replied._

_“I, too, can be generous, Beatrice, no matter how ill you might think of me. But don’t thank me just yet, I have an additional condition,” Padre Vicente said. “You must also win your next fight. I have a lot of money bet on you and I will lose the opportunity to make more in fixing your future fights.”_

_It made our chances unpredictable, but so was being able to see this plan through. Both were still under my control so I decided to take him up for the bargain._

_“Alright, I’ll win you that fight,” I said._

_Through the phone, I apprised them of my entire plan. We cannot travel to North Dakota by plane, I had to act like I, too, was careful about not leaving any paper trail behind. I told them you were still apprehensive about coming with me but had no choice because I was your only bet to safety. I narrated how appearing as a state witness seemed to be a huge responsibility for you and that you might try to escape before we even arrive at the camp. Padre Vicente took care of that._

_A car trailed us from Malibu up until you decided to run away in Jean, Nevada. Someone followed you around inside Terrible’s Convenience store, sneaking up on you when you decided to go to that dark and unfinished part of the gas station to wait for your friend. He was one of the Padre’s men, Lorenzo, and he hated my guts._

_He definitely took the chance to let me know._

_The scuffle that ensued when I tried to save you from him was all staged, but I knew that the part where he put a knee to my rib was real. He’d been wanting to hurt me for a long time, been wanting to get back at me for breaking his nose while defending myself in a fight. He only got the chance when he was away from the Padre’s watchful eyes._

_“Got your Achilles' heel, I mean, your rib?” Lorenzo grunted and scoffed. He spat on the ground before approaching me, his hands slowly balling into fists._

_He knew just where to hit me because it was he who broke my rib in the same fight years ago._

_We wouldn’t have stopped at that motel if it weren’t for that injury. It made me think about the upcoming match and all the things that I was risking just to complete this job. I did not want to blame you. It was us who faked that fight anyway. Yet I could not help but think that if you had not tried to escape, we would not have had to orchestrate a kidnapping attempt and Lorenzo would not have that chance to lay his hands on me._

_I was in such a bad mood that I almost broke the fingers of the kid who tried to take a photo of you in the motel’s reception. For this, I could no longer blame you. Rather, I sympathized. I did not know how you could live this life where everyone else just seems to recognize your face and I somehow felt protective over you. It was my first inkling that maybe, you were not just someone who was handed everything in life._

_You might laugh at this because, at this point, you know that I practically grew up within a syndicate. Yet I was almost never violent outside the cage unless I was defending myself. The thought of what I could do in the face of a threat to your comfort scared me. I have not spent two days with you and already, I was going soft. This would have earned me a beating from the Padre’s men._

_I woke up the next morning after my first dreamless sleep in years. No gruff voices of older men came to haunt me, no blurry features of mother figures came to comfort me. You woke me up in a panic. It was morning and we were not meant to stay for hours. Still in the clutches of sleep, I panicked as well, thinking that you might have escaped once more as I was dozing off. Yet it was your soft hands that were shaking my shoulders, it was your citrus-scent that first enveloped me, greeting me as I woke up. Somehow, the cheap motel soap was not able to wash that off._

_“I’ll get changed in the bathroom,” I said. Suddenly, I was shy to show even a tiny bit of skin around you. We were raised like soldiers by Padre Vicente. Stripping down was not an issue at all for me. I changed my clothes in front of Lilith all the time before we got together and even after we broke up. Sometimes, I had to change in front of the men._

_Yet I can’t have you changing in front of me as well, not when I was that attracted to you. Having the opportunity to see your bare skin was too much of a temptation to pass up and I had to calm the beast inside me. I stepped into the shower, away from your dark, inviting eyes, to cool off a bit._

_We started on the road again. You insisted on driving first. I was apprehensive but welcomed your stubbornness as soon as my back hit the more comfortable passenger’s seat._

_“You could DJ,” you suggested. I guess I seemed bored out of my wits. That was just me, I never really liked being idle. Idle time did not have value. Useless. Back in the mansion, being idle would have earned me a day without food._

_“I really don’t want to open my smartphone anymore,” I said, keeping up with the story that I made up about my smartphone being tracked. I picked up a map, pretending to inspect it._

_“Choose the station?” you said, gesturing to the radio._

_“Okay, well, since you insist, your majesty,” I said. I tried my hand at being playful, but I just cringed inside._

_“What would be a good station to start the day?” I asked you._

_“Oh pop, duh, definitely pop,” you said, giddy at the wheel. I rolled my eyes. I had to keep a facade, but that smile of yours was slowly eating at the fort I built around me._

_“I saw that!” you said. You tried to slap my hand which was on the display screen. That was when I saw it. Two lines running across your palm, one line that ran from the base of your middle finger, almost touching the wrist before branching off to another stroke at a 60-degree angle, all mirroring mine. I reacted quickly, flinching out of the way and intertwining my fingers with yours, wanting to take a closer look at the markings on your palm._

_Your hand was warm in mine and my palm was buzzing with positive energy. You curled your own fingers against my hand, its long lost twin, the separated stitch marks finally meeting their match. The thread between us was finally reinforced. I held on to your hand for hours, thinking that I missed doing just that my entire life._

_There was never a more perfect moment for Camila to call._

_I had to let go of your hand, knowing that my friend was not exactly the most patient person in the world._

_“I’m sorry, I have to take this, it’s my manager,” I said. “Camila, hey...,” I started._

_“Where are you?! Duretti is furious! He’s been snapping at me all day because you were supposed to be here yesterday!” I knew you could hear her voice even though the phone was not on speaker._

_“I had a slight setback, I’m still fifteen hours away,” I admitted._

_“Fifteen hours?!, Camila shrieked and I winced. I took care of the situation, tried to calm her down, and reassure her that this delay was our last._

_The conversation with my manager was a welcome distraction. What a ridiculous time to be thinking about that children’s story from a random picture book I picked up inside an ex-lover’s room more than a decade ago. You could not be the person at the other end of my loose thread, threads between people did not exist. And even if they did, it could not be you. It had to be anyone, but you. I had a duty to Lilith and Diego._

_I had kept you for myself for two days that the thought of you interacting with other people never crossed my mind. It would be a different story up in camp. The people would wonder who you were to me, adding the complication that they all would probably recognize who you are. I would have to keep the con from both sides. Good thing you were only supposed to stay for a few days until Padre Vicente arrives to take you to someplace I would never find out. He asked me to keep you in North Dakota for a week while he tended to some business in El Salvador. I prepared for seven days of dodging questions about you and making up stories of how we met. Yet I know it would all be worth it. Freedom was near and I could already taste it._

_**The beast inside me was caught in between.** _

_I let Camila bunk us up together in the camp. That was my third mistake. I had made so many errors, so many miscalculations in going through with this plan that you’ve probably lost count. Yet save for what happened to me as a child before Padre Vicente found me, I have a photographic memory. I know the exact moment that things could have gone the other way._

_If only I asked Camila to get you another room, maybe we would not have had that chat. Padre Vicente would pick you up by the end of the week and Lilith, Diego, and I would be free for the rest of our lives. But no, I just had to keep you close to me. Like a pendant with your picture I had to keep close to my heart._

_“Oh, you have no idea, Beatrice. Thank you, really, for thinking about this. It brought me back to the day my dad bought me one as a present so that I could pass time reading books in between takes of Like Father, Like Daughters,” you said, grateful for the e-reader I thought to get you. You told me about the Kindle you left behind inside your backpack in Nevada and I was afraid that you’d get bored inside the camp. My eyes grew wide at the mention of your show._

_“Wait,” I replied. “You were on Like Father, Like Daughters? The sitcom?”_

_“Yes, I was, for many years,” you explained, but I began hovering my fingers just above your face, tracing your features in the air. Suddenly it hit me like cold and hot water from different directions at the same time._

_“You were Charlotte, the youngest daughter in the show!” I exclaimed in awe._

_“Yes, I played Charlotte,” you confirmed. I was speechless. I could feel the heat rising up to my cheeks and my eyes began to well._

_“Hey, what’s wrong?” you said, reaching out for my hand with your palm that mirrored mine. I allowed you to hold it, allowed the invisible thread to gather the seams and loop through the fabric of our beings. A backstitch to reinforce our connection._

_“Do you want to talk about it?” you asked._

_“Nothing, it’s fine,” I replied, shaking my head. I tell you my story. I was honest with you for the first time since I met you. I owed you that truth, I needed you to know how watching you through the screen was the only reason I had hope that there was a better life for me than the one I grew up in. Dreams I could reach, I family I could come home to. The irony was not lost on me that in order to have all that, I would have to betray you._

_And then it was your turn to tell me your story. How could I, in good conscience, for this beast still has a conscience, see through this plan knowing what you went through as a child? How could I still deliver you to evil when during the years that you saved me, no one has saved you? How could I still betray you knowing that you had blamed yourself for years when you were actually innocent, faultless, and pure?_

_You were sweet and kind and everything that was gentle and handsome and good. Yet he was right about me. He was right to choose me for this job because even though I asked for my freedom in return, I was still the right person for this con. A person he raised to take the opportunity, to put what I value the most before anything else, to see a plan into fruition. How could I go back to Lilith and Diego with nothing? How can I go back to my family saying, I had thrown off the plot, let slip our only chance to freedom, because -_

_Because what? Because you played the TV character that I related to the most in childhood? What a foolish thing to reason out. You did not even know me then. What else? That my feelings were finer than I thought? That you were the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, with eyes so dark I could fall into those pools without ever meeting the depths?_

_“You believe me?” you asked as if you needed the answer to come from my lips._

_“You know I do. I will always believe you, Ava,” I replied. It was the truth, but what good would that do? I still would play the part in silencing your voice because I could no longer stand keeping quiet and letting Padre Vicente do all the talking for me, for the three of us._

_My finger began wiping the tears off your face and I allowed it to linger, stroking the skin there. I saw you in a whole new light, my eyes zoning in on your lips, pink, plump, and ready. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I realized what you were about to do._

_Your face began drawing near, dangerously close, and a few inches away from mine. My body gravitated towards your pull, like a heavenly object attracted to your core. And I was enamored with your core - Ava Silva behind the character, honest, trusting, and brave. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but you could have been festooned with boils, or been a talking head in a bag, and I would still have been enchanted. I could feel the thread between us tightening, warming up, and tingling, knowing that it was about to be re-attached from both ends._

_Around me, the world went silent. Inside my body, my heart throbbed against my chest like a sledgehammer, pumping guilt into my veins in torrents, heating my skin up in shame that I felt feverish._

_It was over even before it could start. I placed my hand gently on your chest, just beneath your left shoulder, slightly pushing you away. I looked away from your eyes as I put on my poker face, just barely letting out a smile to let you know that it was all right._

_“Goodnight, Ava,” I said.Needing to feel something, I placed a light kiss on your cheek and I heard you exhale at the contact._

_I lay on my bed that night facing the wall, haunted by the memory of your wants, the depths of your longing. It was not me you desired, but a version of myself that I allowed you to see, a character named Beatrice. What was truly inside me was a beast, corrupted and beyond redemption. The beast that was presented the choice between saving you and the freedom of my family and was caught in the cowardly place in between._

_**The beast inside me was enamored.** _

_I tested you. That was the last of my mistakes. From this point on, I would no longer consider my choices as miscalculations, rather, a stitch from the serendipitous thread that would weave our lives together._

_I played the game, cruel and dangerous. I wanted to get a rise out of you, wanted to see if your cheeks would redden within my presence the way mine warmed up within yours. I needed to see if you would swallow the same lump in your throat when I give you a tiny bit of my attention, wanted to observe whether your dark eyes would automatically dart to my waiting lips the way I look at yours all day._

_You were like my picture book, I could read you as if your skin was made of transparent glass. There were times when I wished you would have reined in your desire, kept what you felt bottled up within you. But that was my style. The Ava that I know would not be afraid of letting her emotions show whether those feelings were requited or not. The Ava I know was the bravest person I’ve ever had the privilege of being acquainted with. She topples dictators, protects her friends, and fights for what is right. She was valiant and beautiful and kind and all the things that I was raised to never become._

_I knew then how you felt for me and I felt dirty, the guilt creeping up my skin, sticking on the surface no matter how much I scrub it clean. I lied down next to you for the first time, wanting to feel your warmth beside me. Instead, it was the flames of hell that invited me to take the plunge. The first few nights that we started sleeping on your bed, I tried to give up thinking of you, tried to think you were nothing to me but warmth, just warmth. All night, I Iay with my back turned to you and a blanket over my ears to keep out your sighs, a pillow over my nose to keep away your scent. It was foolish, oh so foolish! It was my choice to come to you, my feet that led me to your bed. Yet in the hours between, I felt for you in the darkness, wrapped my arms around your waist, let you rest your head on my chest. Here was the end of my thread, my better half, finally holding me through the endless night. For all the pain I went through, for every lash and beating I received through the years, I finally let myself think I deserved to find you, was worthy to be with you._

_On the third night, I lay awake as you slept and tried to sync my breathing with yours. It was like my ears were opening up for the first time to undiscovered music. Outside our room, I felt the planets align to send us to this moment, I sensed the invisible fields of the earth form a protective dome around whatever it was that we shared. It was as if -_

_As if I was in love?_

_In two days, Padre would arrive and take you away. I knew I had to find a way to save you but to do that, I had to say goodbye to freedom. For I could not want freedom, more than I want I lover, and I could not want a lover, more than I wanted it to be you._

_**The beast inside me tried to make it right.** _

_I got up from bed carefully, not wanting to wake you up, and padded out of the room. I closed the wooden door behind me noiselessly and took my phone out to dial the number of my oldest and best friend. She picked up after two rings._

_“Hey, Beatrice, it’s two in the morning?” Lilith greeted me._

_“Why are you awake then?” I teased. “Is Diego asleep?”_

_“Yes, in his own room. He doesn’t really want to sleep here anymore, he’s growing up fast,” Lilith replied. My heart sank. Under the Padre’s wing was not exactly the right place for a boy to grow up. I know I said goodbye to my freedom, but I was risking Lilith’s and Diego’s as well._

_“Listen...I just thought maybe we should convince Padre to let Ava stay here at least until the end of my training,” I began trying to mask my intent._

_“That’s not the plan, Beatrice, we have a plan,” Lilith replied through the phone. I could feel her eyes narrowing from miles away._

_“I know, but, plans can change. This plot has had several revisions,” I tried to reason out. “I just thought I could extract more secrets from her if she’s here with me rather than Padre Vicente. He could not use his usual methods on her, our explicit instruction was not to mark her body.”_

_“Beatrice, the deal was to deliver the girl to Padre Vicente. We would not know what he does with her nor should we care,” Lilith said. “This was your plan. No one forced you into this.”_

_I think I was silent for about a minute. It was Lilith who spoke once more._

_“Tell me the truth, what happened?” she pried._

_“Nothing I-“_

_“Do not lie to me, Beatrice. It’s not like you to improvise when the plan has finally been going smoothly,” Lilith said._

_“Oh.”_

_The sound of realization, I heard it from across state lines. Padre Vicente seldom gives her credit for it but my best friend was really smart. Or it could be that it was she who knew me best._

_“You’ve fallen in love,” she said as a matter of factly, but I could hear a tinge of hurt in her voice. Could it be that she still felt something for me after all this time? It did not matter, my heart belonged to you now._

_“I think I have,” I admit._

_“That certainly...complicates things. Are you sure? It’s only been a little more than a week,” Lilith replied._

_“It doesn’t feel like it, Lilith, I feel like I’ve known her for a few lifetimes,” I replied. It was not like me to be this tactless, but I felt excited finally being able to talk about you with someone else, even if that someone else was my ex._

_“What do you plan to do? You can’t have your cake and eat it too, Beatrice. Padre Vicente would not honor his end of the deal if you don’t honor yours,” Lilith said._

_“I don’t know yet. Please don’t think that I am choosing Ava over you and Diego. There must be some way I could get the four of us out of this. I just need time to think about what to do. That is why Padre cannot arrive here in the camp in two days. We have to stall,” I explained._

_“I don’t know, Beatrice. I think you’re putting too much on your plate. You cannot save everyone. Somehow, you will have to choose who to let go of. I just hope it’s not Diego.Never mind me, I grew up here. I had made my peace long ago that I would die here. You gave me hope but now I see that you’re blinded by what you feel for that actress that you’ve known for ten days. But as I said, never mind me. I thought we could at least do right by Diego, not let him grow up thinking that all he could ever be was a courier of illegal artifacts, let him carve his own path in a world that shunned us,” Lilith said bitterly._

_“I still feel the same way, Lilith. When I proposed this plot to Padre Vicente, I was not thinking of my own freedom, but yours and Diego’s. But could we really be free knowing the price? We would be silencing the voice of someone who is good and innocent and better than both of us would ever be. We are not beasts fighting for the kill, Lilith, we could prove that we were not who he raised us to be. We are still human,” I replied._

_“It’s your call,” Lilith said. “It’s always been your call, and you are only speaking to me now because you know that I would always back you up. I hate you, Beatrice.”_

_“You don’t mean that,” I said._

_“You know I don’t,” Lilith replied before hanging up._

_I called Padre Vicente the next day. That was supposed to be your last day in camp and I had to make haste in preventing his arrival. He was suspicious at first, and just like Lilith, told me that it was unlike me to change plans at the last minute._

_“Listen, I know that you accepted this contract because you wanted to gain access to this world, gain influence. If you just turn Ava over to whoever hired you, this would just be another courier job, just like transporting firearms or drugs. They would want nothing from you once the job is done,” I said over the phone._

_“And how do you propose to change that?” Padre Vicente replied, suspicious._

_“Secrets. You know that secrets are very powerful, you can use it as leverage, a currency to gain entrance and influence in their world,” I said._

_“Extracting secrets is already part of the plan. My men are poised to do thatand they know how to accomplish that part of the plot better than you, Beatrice. You always refused to do the dirty work,” Padre Vicente replied._

_Shit. I did not think that one through. I never really knew what Padre Vicente intended to do with you after I turn you over to him because I never bothered to find out. I thought I would be on my way, driving with Lilith and Diego towards the sunset._

_“Not for this job. Not a mark on Ava’s body, remember? Your methods won’t work. And you won’t even be sure if what she’ll tell you is true and worth anything. Meanwhile, the two of us have grown close and she’ll be honest with me more than anyone else. I can find out what she knows, what she’s told the police, what else she’s keeping for herself,” I said, thinking on my feet. “Look, I want nothing but to get rid of her so I could focus on my training but I want to do this for you, Padre. I know that it’s a big thing that I am asking for in return.”_

_The man sounded like he was giving the idea a thought. Finally, he said, “alright, but only until the end of the month. My friend would want her as soon as possible.”_

_“If you are not able to do this, Beatrice, I will do it the old fashioned way. My contractor specifically said not a mark on her face. It would be easy to cover bruises and burns on arms and legs,” he added. “Do it fast. I’ll be in Cancun but I want my secrets waiting when I return.”_

_“I’ll make it worth your while,” I replied, balling my hand into a fist to control my anger at his mention of hurting you._

_**The beast inside me is dead.** _

_I felt reborn. My decision to save you gave me a new lease on life. It was as if the layers of thorns and scales that wrapped themselves around my body for years slowly unraveled, revealing the person that used to be inside, a child of seven, lost but not marked, still hopeful of being found._

_And it was you who found me. I continued sleeping on your bed, not daring to do more than discovering and rediscovering your arms. I could feel you falling, accelerating, but I did not think I was ready to meet you halfway. Next to your body at night, I had to rein in my own desire. I promised myself that I would not reveal the truth of what I felt for you until I come up with a plan to rectify my mistakes._

_Yet where the beast used to be unyielding, the person was weak, where the beast was imperturbable, the person was starving, where the beast was fearless, the person was afraid at even the idea of losing you._

_I thought that you had died. I saw your body go limp in the middle of the pool as I dove in to pull you out. You were not breathing when I raised your body out of the surface of the water. I was sure of that even without putting my head on your chest. I knew the sound of your breath, memorized the melody of every intake of air. There was only silence._

_I was violent once again outside of the cage. I could have killed Klaus, I swear. I wanted to. My intention was to beat his face into a pulp, wipe that smug smile from his lips, maim his limbs for life that he would never dare to put his hands on you ever again. I felt the scales on my skin growing back, the thorns reemerging. The beast was about to show its face._

_But then I heard you cough, I heard that first intake of air that I knew only to be yours and I was Beatrice once again, the person who has known love and has recently known how to love. I took you into my arms, dripping and wet and you begged me to take you to our room. Our home._

_I carried you all the way to the top floor of the hotel. There were times I felt my arms would detach from my body due to your dead weight but it had to be done that way. You were clinging on to me for dear life the same way I latched on to you for fear of losing you again. I took you to the shower, pouring hot water over our bodies to halt our shivering. You asked me to help you and I understood what you meant. I always seem to know the meaning behind your words because you are, after all, at the end of my lost thread._

_I undressed you, letting your wet clothes cascade down your bare body to the wet floor below. You stood before me, proudly naked for the first time and all I really wanted was to pin you to the wall behind you and ravage you. I watched the warm water pour down your unblemished skin, running through the course of your round breasts, those pink nipples that stood up and greeted me once they were exposed to the air. The water flowed down to your stomach and on to the well-trimmed mound between your legs, ending up on the floor as I fought every urge to have you right there and then. I wanted to be sure it was what you wanted as well, wanted you to take the lead._

_And you did. You pointed out that my clothes were wet. That fact was obvious and I knew what you meant. I discarded my garb with the swiftness of a seasoned fighter. Soon, they joined your own clothing on the wet bathroom floor. It was my turn to stand nude before you and I shivered at the thought of all the scars and bruises that marked my body being exposed next to your faultless skin. I saw your eyes travel all over me, scanning every nook and cranny, memorizing every detail from my bare stomach, my limbs, my breasts, my fish with an eye tattoo, my collar bones, and neck, up to my jaw, and finally, my lips._

_You were the first to approach me and I met you a split second later, my lips melding into yours at hypervelocity. It felt like planets crashing into each other’s orbits, the formation of new heavenly bodies, the birth of a new celestial course. I pinned you to the wall behind you like I’ve been wanting to as I drank the orange from your lips desperately, an oasis for my parched mouth amidst a dry desert._

_I dried you up with a towel and carried you back to the mattress that was still in our living room, turning on the electric fireplace to warm both of us up. It turned out that it was more than warming up that we did. We put each other’s bodies on fire, sending all our nerve endings to dizzying temperatures. Stars exploded on the far edges of the universe as soon as our skins met, my fingers inside you dipped into the hot magma of a distant moon’s volcano waiting to erupt, my tongue on your core was a solar flare licking the black fabric of space and your climax was another big bang, the birth of another universe where we were both the gods and the mortals._

_We did it in front of the fireplace and on the couch. Later, it would be my turn to create another universe as you took and owned me on the top of the wooden dining table._

_We made love all week on every surface on earth that we could find whenever we could help it. Through our tongues and fingers, we coursed and traveled across every alter universe each of our little explosions birthed. For an entire week, this world, mundane and ordinary, did not exist. It was just you and myself and the maps of the undiscovered places we drew on each other’s skin._

_My plan did not exist either._

_I had bought myself time, but a week in and I had nothing to show for it. No plot for the exit, no device for escape. I was so consumed by euphoria, drunk from the honey of my desire that I forgot the condition that I gave myself before showing you my true feelings - that I will find a way to save you._

_I heard that Padre Vicente will be returning from Cancun in a few days, and even though I technically have more than a week left of training in the camp, I knew I have to act fast._

_I called Lilith yesterday, told her to find a way to bring Diego to the camp as soon as possible. Once they are here, the four of us would leave North Dakota, lie low in a different state for a few days and contact Mary. I will confess to everything and she’ll find a way to reach us and secure you, hopefully, Lilith and Diego, too. I’m sorry that I did not let you in on this scheme earlier. I can’t risk you being mad at me, although you have every right to be until the plan has been set in motion. I promise I’ll tell you while we are on the run, but for now, please trust me on this. Lilith told me that I could go to jail, but none of that matters now. Remember when she asked me if I let her and Diego go because of you? I did not. It does not have to be a choice between you and my family._

_I choose to let myself go. I will take the fall if need be, as long as the three of you are safe and free._

_You are asleep now as I am writing this, naked under the sheets a few feet away from me. I’ve been laboring at this prose for two nights now. Tomorrow, I am going to give you swimming lessons. The next few days are uncertain and I want to give you every piece of tool you might need to survive this world. I know I can’t always be there to save you, not that you ever needed me to. It was you who saved me, Beatrice, the child. I am sorry that the beast is too late for saving._

_I wish to give you an account of what happened ever since Padre Vicente showed me your picture in the dining room of his mansion miles away and many moons ago. I want you to be able to make sense of what happened in the past few months, a few pages with which to remember us by. Losing my memories as a child made me feel like I would always have that hole in my life, and I want you to live yours whole and to the fullest, even if it’s not with me. If you are reading this, something went terribly wrong. I might be behind bars, or otherwise, dead._

_This account is my whole truth, the story of how the threads of Cupid has brought us back together and is at the brink of tearing us apart once again. I don’t know if you can ever forgive me, but I want you to know that even though everything that came out of my mouth was a lie, every touch was pure and every kiss was true. If this last scheme fails, I hope you know that I tried, I really tried to make it right in the end, and I am deeply sorry._

_For what it’s worth, I love you, Ava._

_**Hanging on at the end of your thread,** _

_**-B** _

xxx

“You expect me to believe all that bullshit?” Ava said as she closed the little black notebook in her hands and threw it on the floor. Out of sight, the image of Beatrice’ scrawling script was still burned on the actress’ mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you for waiting for this chapter. I really thought (and wish) that I could have written this part better. Still, I hope you enjoyed it and that it was worth the wait.
> 
> The children’s story about Cupid and the thread was a story I wrote for my creative writing class in college. The task was to write a children’s story based on the song The Origin of Love* from the movie and then Off-Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The title of this work is partly based on that story that I wrote, but primarily, of course, from the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. There are sentences in this chapter that I lifted heavily from that work.
> 
> PS. Before I get called out again about oranges recurring in my works, no, I really don’t know what it is between me and oranges. I don’t even like eating the fruit in real life :P
> 
> Again, comments are always appreciated!
> 
> *based on The Myth of Aristophanes


	11. The First Woman

“Yes, we’ll call her on the road,” Beatrice replied. She fidgeted from the cold and anxiety as she opened the back door of her Wrangler to deposit their bags. The fighter scanned the area, but Lilith and Diego were nowhere to be found. Beatrice drew a deep breath, the fog forming in front of her chapped lips.

The fighter looked at her neighbor. Ava gazed at her expectantly, curious and beautiful. Beatrice wanted to hold her, wanted to kiss away the worries etched on her face, but she was not sure if they were still in a fight. She owed the actress the mother of apologies and all the explanations she would require but she wanted to make sure first that they had placed a considerable distance between them and Padre Vicente before she faced the fire.

“One sec,” Beatrice told Ava. She took out her phone, the Motorola she had been texting Lilith with just this morning, and moved a considerable distance away from the actress.

“Lilith, where the hell are you? I told you to bring Diego and meet me here in the parking lot,” Beatrice whispered through the receiver. It was not like her to curse, ever mindful of her language, but her anxiety was building up.

“Here in the pool building. I’m sorry, Diego insisted on seeing the water,” Lilith explained from the other line.

“Lilith, you are fifteen years older than your brother and you let him make the decisions? You know that we are on a schedule, the Padre knows that you are here” Beatrice replied.

“I know, I’m sorry. You know how much we’ve coddled him. Can you come over here and get us? He does not want to leave. He listens to you more than he does to me,” Lilith said.

“I can’t believe this, Lilith,” Beatrice replied, annoyed. “Fine, I’m coming. Better get ready.”

Beatrice flipped her Motorola shut and approached Ava, “Listen, I have to go check out something in the pool building first, can you wait in the car? Don’t go anywhere.” She saw the actress’ eyes widen at the suggestion.

“No, you can’t leave me alone here. Not after telling me that those who want to hurt me are coming for me,” Ava pleaded. The fighter considered this for a bit.

“You’re right, come on quickly,” Beatrice instructed, closing the rear door of her car before trekking towards the other side of the camp where the pool building was located.

xxx

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Padre Vicente whispered to Lilith’s ear as she put down her own phone. The man, in turn, lowered the pistol he pointed at the girl’s head.

“Not hard, but not necessary, either,” Lilith answered back. “You don’t have to trick Beatrice into bringing Ava to you. You could have just knocked on her door. You know her, she is going to fulfill her end of the bargain, she knows what is at stake.”

“I wouldn’t want to do the exchange back at the hotel, we can’t risk running into anyone. This is perfect,” he said, gesturing at the silent expanse of the pool building. “Besides, I don’t know if I could still trust her. Why are you and Diego here without my permission and so many miles away from the mansion?”

“I told you, Diego missed his Hermana. You know how that boy could be. That’s all. It saves you the trouble of transporting us for the exchange anyway,” Lilith reasoned out.

“Beatrice has not yet reported on the secrets she has managed to extract from Ms. Silva, if any. My friend is already impatient. I’ll have to do it myself. Don’t worry, I don’t mind her failure. That’s not part of the deal anyway. Just an extra service that Beatrice offered yet she was not able to follow through,” Padre Vicente replied. “Since you are already here, I’ll let you three go once she hands over Ms. Silva to me. Of course, your freedom is still subject to the condition that she wins her upcoming fight.”

“You know what that means,” he continued, “if she loses, I’m coming for all of you.”

xxx

Ava and Beatrice stood before the pool building after ten minutes of walking up and down several hills. The trees lining the structure cast a dreary shadow on the building’s grey walls and the fighter saw that the door was ajar. She never really had the opportunity to wonder how Lilith was able to take hold of the key to this building.

The air was getting cold and Beatrice led Ava inside. It was quiet. She had expected Diego to run up to her as excitedly as he did when he arrived at the camp two days ago. The boy had grown up to be really close to the fighter, more than he has ever been to his own sister. Or at least, the boy should be sitting by the poolside, dipping his feet in the water like he always did back at the mansion. Something was off and it piqued the fighter’s senses.

The lights inside the building were out, but Beatrice’ eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. The moon outside the huge windows shone on the chlorinated water, bathing its surface with shimmering streaks. She heard footsteps from within the shadows and she placed her body protectively between Ava and whoever it was that was coming.

It was Lilith and Diego, her family. The fighter let out a sigh of relief followed just a second later by dread at the sight of Padre Vicente in their wake. The man was flanked by his two favorite men, Lorenzo and Quebral. Beatrice locked eyes with Lilith, trying to read her best friend’s expression, but the girl gave her a slight shake of her head.

 _Not now_. Lilith meant to say.

Beatrice felt like a bucket of ice was emptied on her head. This was a trap. She just led Ava into the lion’s den and the fighter was not sure how Lilith was involved. Beatrice knew in her heart of hearts that her friend was loyal to her, but she could not help the gnawing feeling that Lilith might have been able to cut a better deal with Padre Vicente in exchange for turning Ava over. The fighter cast that thought aside. There was no time for doubt, all of her efforts must now be channeled to thinking of a way to get the actress out and away and into somewhere safe.

Beatrice took stock of the situation. She knew she could easily defeat Lorenzo and Quebral in a fight if not for the pistols in their hands. She could pin Padre Vicente down, hold him hostage and offer a trade for getting out of there with Ava, but the fighter had no weapon. She left Mary’s pistol in her car and she’d just probably end up with a bullet to her own head. She could grab either of Lorenzo’s or Quebral’s guns, but then someone else might end up with a stray bullet in their heads. The fighter quickly realized how the odds weighed against her success. She needed to play her cards right. No matter what happens, she needed to get out of there with her breathing intact and live to fight another day.

Sometimes, you must lose the battle to win the war.

The fighter knew there was no way out, for now. She straightened her spine and placed her hand on the actress’ back, relishing the feel of her warmth against her own palm one last time, before pushing her forward gently.

“I found her in the parking lot. She had all her things with her, she was trying to get away,” Beatrice spoke, addressing Padre Vicente. Deep inside, the fighter reeled in disgust as she saw her former boss smile, drawing near the actress and inspecting her face.

Beatrice saw the surprised look on Ava’s face, but the fighter kept her resolve, holding her head up high to meet Padre Vicente’s eyes.

“You look nothing like your headshot,” he told Ava. Beatrice still had her hand behind the actress’ back as she locked eyes with Lilith. Ever so slightly, her friend gave her an approving nod.

“Very good, Beatrice,” Padre Vicente exclaimed. “We’ll take it from here.” The man turned around and snapped his fingers. Lorenzo and Quebral approached Ava and took her by each arm to drag her away from the fighter.

“Gently!” Beatrice hissed, anger boiling within her upon seeing Ava wince. She saw how the men gripped the actress tightly by the arm and the fighter was sure there would be bruises come morning. Ava bruised easily.

“You heard the girl, handle Ms. Silva with care. Adriel said not a mark on her,” Padre Vicente instructed.

“Padre,” Beatrice started. If she could not get Ava out of Padre Vicente’s grasp, for now, she at least had to get Lilith and Diego. She’d have two fewer people to worry about and they could regroup later and think of a plan to save the actress. A real plan this time.

The fighter half expected her former boss to laugh and tell her that she had no right to Lilith and Diego yet, still not having won her next fight. She swallowed a lump in her throat as Padre Vicente turned around to face her.

“Of course. You fulfilled your part of the bargain, and I shall fulfill mine,” He said. And then gesturing to Lilith and the boy, “You two, you’re free to go.”

Diego ran into Beatrice’ arms and wrapped his hands around the fighter’s waist. Lilith remained rooted on her spot. Beatrice wondered why her friend did not approach her.

“I have your word?” Beatrice asked, just to make sure.

“Yes, yes, you have my word. I would not bother you,” Padre Vicente replied. “Although it would be a shame to lose you as a partner. You were one of the most skilled ones. These men,” he said, gesturing to Lorenzo and Quebral who held Ava, “are a complete disappointment and just would not be able to hold a candle to you. Not in a million years.”

“You never treated me as your partner, Vincent,” Beatrice said. She tried to make the statement sound like a fact but she knew that the Padre would be able to detect the disdain in her voice. She felt bold dropping the ‘Padre’, she has never called her former boss by his first name only, never in the years that she has known him, not even in secret. Padre Vicente has likened himself to a shepherd and they were the flock, loyal and blind.

“I’m hurt. You hurt me, Beatrice. I don’t know why I’m still so underappreciated when all I ever did was to provide you, freeloaders, a comfortable life,” Vincent replied. “Nevertheless, you know that the honor of my word is all I have. I set you free.”

“I’m staying,” Lilith finally spoke. Beatrice gave her a look of confusion and Diego ran back into the taller woman’s arms. “Beatrice has her MMA career going for her, and you,” she said, kneeling down on one knee to meet the boy’s eyes, “are still very young. You have an entire future ahead of you. I know of no other life than this. Padre Vicente, I want to stay with you.”

“No, Hermana!” the boy replied, hugging Lilith tightly around her neck. “You said it would be us three! You said we’ll never get separated again!”

Hearing those words was like a punch to Beatrice’ gut. It was true. It was supposed to be the three of them. It was the idea that she had space for one more person in her life that led them to this mess. Now, for some reason she has yet to decipher, Lilith was proposing to stay behind.

“Diego! Can you listen to me just this once?” Lilith said. There was a tear on her cheek that she brushed away with a finger. “Go with Beatrice and don’t give her any troubles. Be a good boy.”

Lilith stood up and tried to pry Diego’s hands away from her clothes. Beatrice was there in an instant, taking the boy into her arms once again and soothing his back as he cried. The taller woman walked to where Ava stood behind Padre Vicente. Beatrice eyed her the whole time, trying to figure out what she was doing.

“As you wish, Lilith,” Padre Vicente said. “You know what this means, Beatrice. Once you and Diego walk out of this building, you will never see me or Lilith again.You sure it’s worth it? You are welcome to change your mind.”

Beatrice took one more look at Lilith, who shook her head again. The fighter was sure her friend was telling her not to make a scene, to just go with the flow. Lilith had something up her sleeve and although Padre Vicente did not give her much credit for it, she was actually the smart one. The fighter hated not being in on the scheme, but in that split second, she chose to put her faith in her friend.

 _Trust your team._ In this case, her team was her family.

“There is nothing worth more than my freedom,” Beatrice replied.

Padre Vicente smiled. “Very well.”

“Can I at least say goodbye?” the fighter added on second thought. It was a risky move, but it was her last chance to make sure that she and her ex were on the same page.

“Of course. Don’t ever say I never did anything for you. Be quick about it!” Padre Vicente said impatiently.

Beatrice left Diego and began to approach Lilith, hugging her tightly to hide the movement of her lips when she placed her mouth near her friend’s ear.

“Thank you. I’ll come and get you, both of you,” Beatrice whispered, her lips barely moving.

“I know,” Lilith whispered back.

“Her Kindle, let her have it. Don’t let them take it away from her,” Beatrice said, “I’ll send a message.”

“That’s enough,” she heard Padre Vicente say. There was no more time to give further instructions, and she hoped that the connection she has formed with Lilith through the years was enough for the taller woman to piece together the beginnings of a brewing plan. The fighter let her friend go, nodding at her before turning around to walk towards Diego. She took the boy by the hand and led him towards the exit of the pool building. Beatrice could not look at Ava. The actress was still gazing upon her expectantly, probably thinking that the fighter giving her away was part of an escape plan. She could not bear to see the shift in Ava’s eyes the moment she realizes that she had been betrayed by the person she confessed her love to just this morning.

“I still have my money on you, Beatrice! You better win that fight and get me my money,” Padre Vicente shouted after her. “Legally,” he added, chuckling. It was a reminder that this was not over. Until she wins her next fight, Padre Vicente would be a Sword of Damocles looming above her head.

Without answering her former boss, Beatrice led Diego towards the exit of the building and out into the night. It was only when she heard the sound of the double doors shutting behind her, and when she felt the cold caress of the mountain wind through her leather jacket, that she allowed the sobs to rack her chest and the tears to escape from her eyes.

xxx

The sound of the doorbell ringing woke Camila up from her slumber. She took her time to get up, not really believing that someone would dare to ring her door in the middle of the night. She decided that whoever it was would certainly get a talking to. The girl finally made haste, feeling the floor for her slippers and taking big strides towards the door when the sound of the bell turned into knocking, and then intense pounding. She looked at her phone as she approached the door and found that there were fifteen missed calls from Beatrice.

The fighter let herself in as soon as her friend opened the door. Camila turned on the lights to the room and squinted as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. She saw that her friend had her hands on the shoulders of a young boy she has never seen before. The fighter led him into the room and made him sit on the couch.

“Bea, what’s wrong? You are going to wake up the entire floor,” Camila scolded her friend. She opened her mouth to say something else but it was only then that she was able to get a good look at her friend from head to toe.

“You’re dressed, you’re going somewhere? Who is this boy? Where’s Ava? What -” Camila began but Beatrice held up a hand to interrupt her. The fighter leaned at the backrest of the couch behind the boy and drew a weary breath. Camila thought that her friend looked tired, with lines of worry etched on her forehead. Beatrice looked like she put on several years on her face overnight.

“Camila, I am going to tell you something. Something that would completely change how you see me,” Beatrice started.

“Bea, I don’t think anything could -” Camila interrupted.

“No, I’m sure of it. But I want you to listen and I want you to hear me until the end before you pass your judgment. I will need your help and Ava’s life depends on it,” Beatrice began to explain, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Ava? What’s wrong? What happened?” Camila began to worry for the actress, but the fighter gave her an impatient look. “Sorry, I will not interrupt you anymore. Go on.”

“Camila, I am not the daughter of wealthy foreigners who disowned me when I decided to fight professionally. It’s not true that I came to America when I was eighteen on a working visa that was sponsored by the man who owns this team. I was born here...I think,” Beatrice said. Camila sat down at the foot of her bed opposite her friend on a hunch that this was not the end of the truth that the fighter was spilling.

“The man who owns this team, he is not really an owner of a chain of motels who happens to be a mixed martial arts enthusiast. Well, he does own a chain, but the motels were just one of the channels by which he launders his money. At least the one I know of. His money comes from several illegal sources, mainly, the smuggling of munitions across borders. We sometimes dabble in drugs and other odd jobs if something catches his fancy,” Beatrice continued.

“We?” Camila cannot help but bring attention to the pronoun.

“I worked for him since I was a kid. I used to be a regular runner until I climbed up the ranks and became a transporter, and then an enforcer. At first, mixed martial arts used to be a hobby that he only tolerated because the skills were useful in our line of work. But then he discovered that he could make a lot of money by fixing my fights. All of my amateur matches, they were fixed,” Beatrice said, casting her eyes down.

“But this fight? You’ve been training so hard,” Camila cannot help but remark.

“My first professional match was the first fight that I won fair and square. My upcoming fight with Crimson is not fixed as well,” Beatrice reassured her friend. “He soon found out that the professional arena is a lot harder to influence.”

“Okay, so you’ve been under the employ of a shady guy and a criminal. I still don’t see what any of these have to do with Ava,” Camila asked.

“I mentioned how we dabbled in odd jobs if something catches his fancy. Well, Ava got herself entangled in a big Hollywood exposé. I’m not going to get into the details, but one of the most influential people in Hollywood was involved and he’s after Ava. I invited her here to protect her, I told her no one would suspect that someone like her would be in a mixed martial arts training camp,” Beatrice replied. “No one would go looking for her here.”

“So, that was why you cannot tell me how you two met, you were just protecting her,” Camila said.

“Only that is not the truth. Inviting Ava to camp, it was just a ruse, a trap to get her to come to us. The Hollywood executive reached out to my employer so that he would undertake the job of kidnapping Ava. I befriended her, drove her miles away from California, away from the cop who was protecting her, and I...I guess you know by now that I fell in love with her. I tried to come up with a plan to save her but, they have her now. My employer. He just arrived with his men and I turned Ava over to him,” Beatrice said.

“You WHAT?!” Camila said, shocked, color draining from her face. “How can you say that you’re trying to find a way to save her and then just turn her over like that?”

“Camila, you were not there a while ago, there was no way I could have fought my way out of there and kept both of us alive. It’s safer for Ava if my employer thinks I have no care for her at all. All I need is more time to regroup and come up with a better plan,” Beatrice explained.

“It’s true, Hermana Beatrice could easily have fought two men, but both of them had guns, someone could get hurt,” the boy spoke for the first time as he sat on the couch.

“I’m sorry, but who is he?” Camila asked, stunned.

“This is Diego, the brother of an old friend, and a friend, too,” Beatrice replied.

“Ava mentioned you keeping another woman in that other room I got for you,” Camila started.

“That’s my Hermana, I was there in the room with her. We arrived the other day,” it was Diego who replied.

“Camila, it’s a long story. Our focus is on Ava. I need your help, you’re the only one I could trust now,” Beatrice said.

“Wish I could say the same for you,” Camila bit back before taking in a calming breath, “Fine, what do you need?”

“I need to go as soon as possible, leave the camp. I have to talk to someone back in California. But the entire team and the staff cannot know that I am no longer here in Gethsemane. Someone might alert my employer and I can’t trust anyone else but you. Device something with Shannon, perhaps a one-on-one bubble training. Just make everyone think I’m still here,” Beatrice explained.

“But the fight -”

“Is not happening. This is Ava’s life at stake,” Beatrice cut Camila off.

“Shouldn’t we be calling the cops then?” Camila reasoned.

“It’s a cop I am going to talk to back in California. We cannot go to just anyone from law enforcement. We know that this Hollywood executive is lining their pockets,” Beatrice said.

“Okay, I can do that. Shannon and I will figure something out,” Camila replied.

“Thank you for doing this for me, Camila,” Beatrice said.

“I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for Ava,” Camila replied curtly.

“That’s fair,” Beatrice said sadly. She stood up straight from where she was leaning and motioned for Diego to do the same.

“One more thing,” Beatrice said. “I need you to drive us down to the city. I’m taking another car back to California and leaving the Wrangler here.”

xxx

“I don’t know you, I’ve never met you in any of Adriel’s secret parties. I don’t know how you are connected with him,” Ava said as she was led by the men who held her into the woods at the back of the pool building. The man who fashioned himself as Padre Vicente walked a step in front of her while the woman named Lilith was behind her.

“Sub-contractor,” Padre Vicente replied. “It’s all in a day’s work, Ms. Silva.”

“But you know Adriel’s business, then? It’s not just work, it’s the lives of these women who need justice. It’s the lives of all the women who may fall victim to him in the future if I don’t stop him now,” Ava said. The actress did not know why she was trying to reason out with a man with a gun.

“I told you, it’s nothing personal, Ms. Silva. Don’t be afraid. We won’t hurt you if only you cooperate,” Padre Vicente replied. They soon approached a huge clearing in the woods framed by the silhouette of Dakotan oak trees. One of the men left Ava’s side to open the door of the driver’s seat of a black Mercedes van, turning on the engine and shining the car’s headlights on the party. The actress squinted as her eyes adjusted to the harsh yellow light.

“I am not afraid,” Ava said, straightening her back. Lilith placed a hand on her own forehead like she suddenly had a headache.

“Bravery. I admire that trait. But be careful with too much of that or someone might mistake it for cockiness. It’s what got you into this situation in the first place,” Padre Vicente replied. Ava scoffed. Bravery was not what has gotten her in this mess. It was foolishness and infatuation over the first beautiful girl to lie her way through her heart.

“I’m sorry, what’s that?” Padre Vicente said, taking a threatening step towards Ava’s direction. Apparently, the actress scoffed too loudly.

“Padre, shouldn’t we leave? It’s getting colder,” Lilith interrupted to try and diffuse the situation.

“Right. I’m taking a plane. You two,” he said, pointing at the two men, “Take the girls back to the mansion. I’ll meet you there.”

Padre Vicente unlocked the SUV that was beside the van, an unassuming black ford truck, and took his seat at the driver's side. Ava heard the engine start and Padre Vicente drove the truck forward, rolling down a window as he passed by the party.

“I’m going ahead. Boys, search both girls for devices. Lilith, surrender your phone to Quebral. Other than that, I’m trusting you to be in charge here,” the man instructed as he looked at Lilith.

“Really? Thank you, Padre,” Lilith replied with a smile and Ava rolled her eyes in disgust.

The man called Lorenzo began patting down the actress as soon as the truck rolled out of the clearing and the one called Quebral began frisking Lilith simultaneously. He managed to obtain a phone and a little black notebook from the taller woman’s pockets. Lilith took the notebook back, arguing that it was not a device.

“Hey, your face looks familiar!” Ava told Lorenzo.

“Yeah? We met back at the gas station in Jean, Nevada,” Lorenzo smirked as he felt for a device inside the pocket of the actress’ hoodie.

“Ugh, this sucks ball so fucking much,” Ava muttered under her breath. So the plot has commenced before they even set foot in camp. She remembered standing in the unfinished and unlit part of the gas station, watching in awe of Beatrice’ fighting skills yet the whole time, the scuffle might have been nothing but a stunt.

“You’re an actress. Beatrice has some great acting skills, wouldn’t you say?” Lorenzo teased as he brought out a black tablet from within the pocket of her hoodie. “What is this?”

“That’s a Kindle, let her have it,” Lilith said.

“The Padre said to inspect for devices,” Lorenzo replied.

“He said that so we wouldn’t be able to communicate with the outside world. You can’t call or text with a Kindle, they’re meant for reading books. Although you wouldn’t know about any of that, would you? Seeing as you are illiterate,” Lilith bit back. Quebral sniggered and his partner shot him a dirty look.

“You are testing my patience,” Lorenzo said.

“And you are failing terribly,” Lilith replied. “I’m in charge here. Let’s go, we have a lot of ground to cover.”

The taller woman opened the door to the back of the van and allowed Lorenzo to usher the actress inside. Lilith held her hand out for the kindle that was still in the man’s possession. Lorenzo reluctantly handed her the e-reader, almost slapping the device against Lilith’s palm.

“Thank you,” Lilith sarcastically said as she took her seat next to Ava.

The man called Quebral took the wheel first, with Lorenzo on the passenger’s seat beside him. The latter looked behind him to where the two women were seated, waving his pistol at the actress.

“Don’t try anything funny, you know what will happen,” he warned.

“There’s no need to overcompensate with that gun, Lorenzo. Of course, she knows,” Lilith replied. The man gave her a menacing look one more time before training his eyes back on the road.

Quebral rolled out of the clearing and into the dirt road Ava and Beatrice sometimes jogged along during the mornings when the actress was still blissfully unaware of the fighter’s ruse. She still was not sure how the whole thing worked or how Beatrice got involved. Ava wondered if she knew the fighter at all. She recalled her every touch, her every kiss. How could what Beatrice made her feel in all their stolen moments been false? The fighter came to her bed each night, lifelike and corporeal, how could she have fallen in love with a character?

Ava closed her eyes as the van navigated its way out of the darkness and into the well-lit main road that led down to the city. She was finally leaving the camp, the place where she made her first friends in years, where she made love, truly made love, and where she walked into a trap. Were Camila and Shannon involved, too? The actress was afraid to look back, afraid that the camp would dissolve right before her very eyes, a mirage, just like everything else that she knew.

Without noticing it, tears began falling from her eyes and onto her lap.

“In my case, it helps if you don’t think about it, block your memories. That’s how you live to fight another day,” Lilith spoke beside Ava. She almost forgot that the other woman was there.

“Bold of you to assume that we are the same,” Ava retorted. “I’m no criminal.”

“No, just a poor little princess who thinks she can save the world,” Lilith replied. “Jesus Christ, no wonder Beatrice is head over heels. That girl thinks she has the answer to everything.”

“I don’t want to hear that name,” Ava replied as she stared out of the window.

“Here,” Lilith said, handing her the Kindle back, and then whispering, “Beatrice told me you had to have this, so here, take it.”

Ava scoffed, “how kind of her.”

“It was the last thing she whispered to me a while ago,” Lilith kept her voice down, “it must be important.”

The actress took the device and pocketed it, “I don’t know what you want me to do. You said it yourself, can’t call or text with a Kindle.”

“What are you yapping on about back there?” Lorenzo interjected.

“Why, can’t we have a conversation? I am in charge here, Lorenzo. I don’t take orders from you,” Lilith replied.

“I hate it here,” Ava heard Lorenzo mutter to his partner.

“Where are you taking me? What’s going to happen now?” Ava asked.

“I can’t talk. Not now. I’ll find a way to get the two of us alone,” Lilith replied. “You better sleep or they’ll tranq you all the way to the mansion.”

“Why should I trust you?” Ava said. She shifted her body away from Lilith, leaning against the window of the vehicle.

“Right now, I’m your only bet,” Lilith replied.

“The bar is literally on the floor,” Ava said.

“What, you’d rather trust them?” Lilith said, gesturing to the two boys in front. Lorenzo had his feet propped up on the dashboard as Quebral drove into the night.

xxx

Ava woke up in cold sweat. Her dreams were vivid yet muddled. There was JC, and a black bear, a woman named Lilith, and a little boy inside a dark pool building followed by a bearded man with a sleeve of tattoos on his forearms. The last thing she remembered was Beatrice turning her back on her to walk away before she woke up. The threads of her dream slowly slipped from her mind just as she tried hard to recall them.

There were hands on her shoulders as soon as she sat up.

“Beatrice!” Ava said, turning to the woman next to her.

“She’s not here,” it was Lilith who spoke. “Don’t you remember?”

“Lilith? I, what?” the actress replied as her mind tried hard to separate the dream from reality.

“Just relax. You fell asleep inside the van for a few hours and the boys tranqued you just before you were about to wake up. You’ve been out for a total of half a day, you must be hungry,” Lilith said, sitting down on the bed next to Ava.

The actress took stock of her surroundings. It seemed that they were in a simple motel room. All the blinds were down but the sunlight that slipped through the cracks revealed blue paisley wallpaper, a flat-screen TV, and a mini-fridge.

“What time is it?” Ava asked, finally remembering that they left the camp in the middle of the night.

“Noon,” Lilith replied. “We’re on our way back to California. That’s where the Padre’s operations are headquartered. We’re stopping because I convinced the boys that they needed to rest. However, I’m sure one is stationed in front of our door, guarding us. I told you I’ll find a way to get us alone.”

“How were you able to get an unconscious girl inside a motel room without getting anyone’s attention? I have one of the most recognizable faces on the planet,” Ava asked and Lilith rolled her eyes.

“Padre Vicente owns this motel. He owns a chain of motels. It’s one of the ways he launders his money. It’s easier to do that when you don’t have to move inventory. Just pretend that people are checking in at slightly higher rates and poof! You’ve shielded the real source of your income,” Lilith replied.

The taller girl stood up to walk towards a full body mirror by one of the walls. She reached for a paper bag at the foot and took out a plain white shirt to throw at Ava.

“We’re no longer in the mountains. It’s going to get warm, you should change,” Lilith said. The woman herself moved to take off her light blue sweater. Ava took notice of the ripples of muscles on her stomach, her tan skin, and the way her black laced bra hugged her chest. The actress swallowed a lump in her throat. Ever since she opened herself to the possibility of liking Beatrice, Ava began to view women differently. She started noticing the shape of Camila’s eyebrows, or how strong Shannon’s legs looked. Mary’s rare smile and images of Chanel’s arms even visit her memories at times.

“It’s rude to stare, Ava,” Lilith said with an amused look in her eyes. The actress blinked, embarrassed at having been caught by who might be her archenemy. The taller woman raised her arms up to change into a similar plain white shirt. That was when Ava saw a familiar mark on the left side of her breast.

“Is that like a couple tattoo?” Ava said, jealousy and pain gripping her chest. Lilith looked down on her body to what the actress was referring to - a fish with an eye tattoo that Beatrice had on the same location.

“So, you’ve seen Beatrice naked,” Lilith said with a smile. She finished changing into her shirt, running her long fingers along her hair to smooth it before approaching Ava once again. “No, it’s the mark of our organization, the sign that we are the Padre’s subjects. The fish with an eye is the symbol of St. Vincent.”

“You’ve seen her naked?” Ava asked. The tinge of innocence in her tone made the taller woman chuckle.

“Ava, Beatrice was an entire person before she met you, someone’s bound to have seen her naked,” Lilith responded. “You had a boyfriend, don’t tell me he hasn’t seen you in the nude. Do you think Beatrice goes around asking that stupid question?”

“It doesn’t matter. None of that was real. Beatrice was not real. What we had was not real. It was all part of your plan,” Ava said. She felt tears starting to pool around her eyes once again but she would not give the woman in front of her the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

“You are mistaken,” Lilith struggled to speak. “What went on between you, it was not part of the plan. The plan was to get you to the camp, get you away from that cop, and turn you over to the Padre. This? This is a mess.”

“And you? What are you to Beatrice?” Ava asked. The sight of the taller girl against the door frame of Beatrice’ other room back in the camp was still fresh on her mind.

Lilith placed her hand inside her the pocket of her jeans and fished out a little black notebook that Ava recognized as the one Quebral almost confiscated from the taller woman.

“Here,” Lilith said. “I never read it. It’s for you. If this account is as complete as Beatrice said, you’re bound to find answers to your questions.”

xxx

“What do you mean you are shelving the investigation?” Mary asked, standing up and slamming her fists on the wooden desk in front of her. The metal nameplate bearing the words ‘ _Michael Ferguson United States Attorney’_ was lifted a few millimeters off the table. The man bearing the name took a few moments to fix the plate before meeting Mary’s eye.

“Take your seat again, agent,” Michael Ferguson said. “We’re not closing it, just shelving it for now. I cannot file this case yet. With all due respect, the pieces of evidence you’ve gathered are insufficient at best and inadmissible at worst!”

“Insufficient? Inadmissible? These are thousands of pages of testimonies and photographs, all of which could be authenticated by witnesses, the victims, and most of all, our undercover state witness. I made sure to go above the board for everything. This is almost a year of hard work. I eat, drink and breathe this case. I know these files from cover to cover, and I know they are more than enough for a conviction, let alone a basis to file a case,”Mary tried to reason, pointing at the mountain of folders on the desk.

“I appreciate all your efforts, agent, but I don’t see it that way. This case is bound to be media fodder, and if we go out there with nothing but the mere scraps of paper you have in front of me now, we are going to sacrifice the integrity of the entire bureau. Is that what you want?” Michael Ferguson replied. “I cannot charge Adriel with anything yet. Give it another year.”

“A year? We will lose our witnesses one by one by the end month. You know how Adriel operates. They could be bought off, scared, even murdered. You really want to wait it out instead of trying to be two steps ahead the entire time?” Mary said, exasperated.

“Mary,” Michael Ferguson said, leaning in closer to the agent and keeping his voice down, almost to a whisper. “Take this piece of advice from a colleague, and I hope, a friend. Don’t go sticking your nose into affairs that you cannot change. There is an order to this world. If you always try to shake things up, the hierarchy could crash and the consequences might be beyond what you could imagine, or be able to handle.”

Mary stood up straight and scoffed. “So he got to you, huh? What did he promise you? Money? Girls?”

“That is a dangerous accusation, agent,” Michael Ferguson said, standing up to his full height as well behind his desk.

“I am no agent,” Mary replied, taking her badge out from the pocket of her coat and tossing it on top of the desk, knocking Ferguson’s nameplate over. She thought she would have a long day, she had planned to track down Blaire Kinney that day, another name that Ava added to the list, but it seems like her search would only prove futile. She turned around and walked towards the transparent door of the bullpen.

“Mary, hey Mary, wait! Are you going to throw away your career for this one case?” Michael Ferguson asked, but he was met with the woman’s middle finger as she stepped out of the room.

xxx

“You expect me to believe all that bullshit?” Ava said as she closed the little black notebook in her hands and threw it on the floor. Out of sight, the image of Beatrice’ scrawling script was still burned on the actress’ mind. Ava did not know what to make of the fighter’s confession of her deceit from the very beginning, and her confession of love at the end. She felt disgust creep over her skin, in all of the places where Beatrice has reached her. The fighter said that every touch was pure and every kiss was true, but how could Ava still believe any of that?

Rather than the answers she sought, the letter only left the actress with more questions.

“So, you were Beatrice’ ex?” Ava frowned. She felt stupid as soon as the question left her mouth. Why should that still matter at this point?

“Yes, we were together,” Lilith replied.

“And you were in Beatrice’ room because...” Ava started.

“Because the plan was for the four of us, you, Beatrice, myself, and my brother Diego, to get away from Padre Vicente and lie low for a while,” Lilith replied. “We weren’t doing what you think we were doing. Beatrice wouldn’t do that to you. Besides, my brother was there the whole time.”

“And Beatrice...she doesn’t remember who she was?” Ava asked, curious. “She mentioned being lost but I don’t really get it.”

“One of the Padre’s men found her along the edges of Dankworth Park in Fresno looking dehydrated and hungry. She was seven, or so they thought she was. They can’t really be sure. They found no identification on her, we do not even know her real name. She doesn’t remember anything from her past life, who her parents were, where she was from. It was like her memories were wiped out completely,” Lilith narrated.

“During her first few months with us, our tutor, Maestro Soliven, played her recordings of different Asian languages and dialects, hundreds of them, to test if there would be any recollection, to find a clue to who she was. She never recognized any of it. She was a blank slate, easily programmable. It was Padre Vicente who gave her the name Beatrice. You see, he was a former member of the clergy and he named her after the patron saint of the last parish he belonged to, St. Beatrice of...” Lilith faltered at the realization.

“Of what?” Ava urged.

“St. Beatrice of Silva,” Lilith revealed.

Ava snorted at the information. “That does not mean anything, Lilith. Just like her stupid thread story that she kept reiterating. It doesn’t matter that we have the same markings on our palms, it doesn’t matter that she thinks I might be her other half. What matters is what she did. She repeatedly lied to me, fooled me, encouraged me to brave when all along, she was part of a plan to turn me over to my enemies, to silence me forever.”

“She’s no longer on board that plan, it took less than a week, less than a week of being with you for her to want to save you,” Lilith defended her friend.

“If that was true, she should have told me! She should have trusted me with that information,” Ava said, standing up from the bed to meet the other woman. “I am an adult, not just any stray she picked off the streets that needs rescuing!”

“She was afraid that you’d get mad and foil the plan to get you away -”

“I have every right to be!” Ava cut off the taller woman. “That does not give her the power to make these decisions for me! She should have trusted me enough to think that I could pass the right judgment over my own safety!” Ava said, her voice rising. The door to the room opened and Quebral popped his head in.

“Everything alright in here, Lilith?” the man asked.

“Yes, nothing I can’t handle, Quebral,” Lilith replied, gesturing for the man to leave. Quebral, who was more agreeable than his partner, simply shrugged and closed the door behind him.

“Huh, some plan to get me away. What are we doing here, then? How come she just handed me over to Padre What’s-His-Face like that and left me?” Ava said, her voice now softer and calmer.

“Padre arrived from Cancun earlier than we thought he would, found out that Diego and I were not at the mansion anymore, and figured something was going on. There was no way we were getting out of there last night without someone getting hurt. She had to pretend that she was honoring her end of the bargain in order to buy us more time. Beatrice, out there, is more helpful to us than her being here, or worse, dead,” Lilith explained.

The actress shuddered at the thought. No matter how much she hated the fighter now, even though she wanted to strangle her herself, she wouldn’t wish death on Beatrice. Ava sat down once again.

“You and Beatrice, you go way back?” the actress asked.

“Yes, we do. She is my best friend,” Lilith replied, her face lighting up at the recollection. “My only friend. We both had a rough life. Well, mostly, she did. Padre took her in and raised her from a young age to be loyal to him and do his bidding. He originally wanted to take in a boy but was afraid that a boy might try and take over his operations once he grows up. In his view, he could raise a girl strong enough to defend him, but not enough to defy him.”

“He preached perfection, value, usefulness. Beatrice was only as good as her last perfect mission. Asking questions earned her days without food, talking back was answered with beatings. The only reward for a job well done was the promise of less pain. Padre Vicente used to reason out that he was just raising her to be tough for the real world, that she would thank him someday.And thank him, she did. Padre never missed the chance to remind her every day that without him, she probably would have starved to death, or else, been torn apart by wild animals. Beatrice repaid him with undying loyalty. That was, until Diego,” Lilith narrated.

“What’s with the boy?” Ava asked.

“When Diego turned seven, that was when Beatrice started getting serious with mixed martial arts. She discovered something she was naturally good at and wanted to be better at it. She thought it was her ticket out of a life of crime, a set of skills she could use to stand on her own two feet that did not involve smuggling or drugs. Well, I think you know from the account you just read how that turned out. Padre Vicente just used her to rake in more money,” Lilith replied.

“Anyway, although Padre gave her his blessings to continue fighting, Beatrice no longer had time for the business. Padre wanted to raise another kid, another Beatrice, another loyal sheep. He turned his attention on Diego, began giving him the same treatment he gave Beatrice when she was a child. Beatrice started to see the big picture, to realize how she has been treated all these years. It was only then that she finally admitted there was nothing to be grateful for a man who would allow a child to go hungry or get hurt even for a tiny mistake, that such a man did not deserve blind loyalty. Our mother has been dead for a few years at this point, and although Beatrice would take Diego’s beatings for him, there was no one else to stop Padre from doing what he wanted,” Lilith said.

“Why do you do that? Still call him Padre? Even when he is not here,” Ava asked.

“Habit,” Lilith replied. “And also because he is my father. That’s the only reason I never received the same treatment as Beatrice, although I’ve had my fair share of verbal abuse. Diego and I, he is our father,” Lilith revealed.

“But he would hurt Diego? I do not understand,” Ava said.

“He never recognized us as his children even though our mother says there was no one else. He kept us in the mansion anyway because of his wife and did not throw us out after her death because we knew too much. And also because he fancies having followers,” Lilith explained. “I told you, he only began hurting Diego years after my mother died.”

“I, I don’t know what to say,” Ava said. “Beatrice could just have told me. Instead, she perpetuated the lie, made me feel like a fool.”

“I know my best friend. She was afraid that you would see her as less than ideal if you knew the truth. Remember, she was raised to abhor flaws,” Lilith reasoned. “Ava, we might be criminals, but Beatrice has never hurt another human before. She only took this job and deceived you because she finally saw a chance to get Diego and myself away from ourfather. If it were not for Diego, I know she would have refused, would have preferred to take a beating rather than hurt you, even when she did not know you at that time.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to believe all of that, Lilith. I don’t owe either of you my faith,” Ava replied. “I certainly do not owe Beatrice anything.”

xxx

“Superion, you happy now? You got what you wanted. I don’t know what Adriel promised you. Must be money, can’t have been girls unless you’re into that,” Mary said as soon as she entered her former superior’s office. The space was smaller than Michael Ferguson’s, with glass panel walls and a sparse interior. There was not even a couch in the room, just two visitor chairs in front of the desk and two file cabinets behind.

Leaving her job made her bold and losing the most important case she has ever handled made her feel like there was nothing else left to lose.

The older woman stood behind her desk elbows deep in a small cardboard box that was propped on top. Mary soon realized that her former superior was shoving her things inside the box before she was rudely interrupted.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Mother Superion replied not bothering to look up. “I am busy.”

“What the fuck are you doing?” Mary said walking next to the older woman. She inspected a trophy that her former superior was about to put inside the box.

“What does it look like? I quit,” Mother Superion said. “I supposed you heard, Ferguson is refusing to press any charges. All that effort trying to protect the girls for nothing. Imagine doing all the dirty work only for a damned lawyer who is behind his desk all day to tell you he is not filing a case.”

“Yeah, I just came from his office. I quit, too,” Mary admitted. Mother Superion momentarily stopped what she was doing to regard the younger woman.

“You’re still young. I can’t say that I’m happy you are throwing away your career, but I’m kind of proud that I raised you well,” Mother Superion replied.

Mary rolled her eyes, “Oh no, you did not raise me.”

“What were you on about anyway, asking me what Adriel promised me?” Mother Superion replied.

“I...,” Mary struggled, but her former Superior glared at her, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you were the mole. I thought you had sold the entire investigation to Adriel. Apart from Ava and myself, you were the only person who knew that the security alarm and cameras in the Malibu manor were not working. Her house got broken into during that slim window of time and I learned that you ordered the repair guy to not come at the scheduled date.”

“Mary, I asked him not to come because he was not the usual repair guy. I was not done vetting him yet,” Mother Superion replied.

“I know that now,” Mary replied.

“Mary...,” Mother Superion started.

“I understand that as an investigator, you were only following your hunch, but if there’s something else you’re not telling me, you should do it now. If you’ve deviated from the protocol because you suspected that I was feeding Adriel information, then I have to know. In case Ferguson finds out and he knows that we quit on the same day, how would that look like? If an administrative case comes biting my ass, I’ll hunt you to the ends of the Earth,” Mother Superion threatened.

“There is something else you need to know about our main witness, but let’s have coffee outside. Now that I know you’re not the mole, I don’t know who else might be listening,” Mary replied.

xxx

Ava did not speak to Lilith until Lorenzo and Quebral came back for them an hour later. It was time to hit the road once more, and the pair wanted to head back to wherever it was they came from at the earliest time possible. The actress left Beatrice’ little black notebook lying on the floor, but she saw the taller woman pick it up and pocket it.

The party took the stairs down to the parking lot. Ava discovered that the room they had been in was on the second floor of the two-story motel. The actress had briefly considered screaming for help, but she soon realized why Lorenzo and Quebral did not even bother to hold her by the arms this time - the motel was situated in the middle of nowhere, along an unpaved gravel road. The parking lot was deserted except for a black van that had no windows.

“If you’re planning to scream, don’t be stupid. I can’t control what Lorenzo might do to you on reflex. Besides, there’s no one else here. I told you, hardly anyone ever checks in our motels. That’s the way we wanted it to be,” Lilith whispered beside Ava as they approached the van.

“We got you a ride with no windows while you were asleep so we wouldn’t have to tranq you this time,” Lorenzo said as he opened the door to the vehicle. “You have me to thank for that, princess.”

“Thank you then, you fucking peasant,” Ava replied.

“What does that mean?!” Lorenzo said, approaching the actress threateningly but she was already inside the van.

“Calm your puny head, will you?” Lilith said as she took the seat beside Ava. The man grunted in reply before slamming the door on the taller woman’s face.

The inside of the van was pitch black. A panel separated the front where the driver’s seat was located from the rest of the vehicle and there was no source of light at all. Ava wondered whether they would spend the rest of their trip in absolute darkness until Lilith flipped on the switch that bathed the interior with warm, yellow light.

The taller woman heard the actress’ stomach rumble and she offered her a bag of sandwiches that one of the men had picked up while the two girls were still inside the motel room. Ava swallowed her pride and took a sub. Her heart was filled with sudden feelings of missing Beatrice, of memories of the fighter offering her sandwiches during their drive to North Dakota; a road trip that her neighbor planned in order to get her away from Mary and deliver her to her enemies; the journey where Beatrice said she first discovered that they had similar markings on their palms. What a stupid story. If indeed there was a thread between them, it has now gone slack because Beatrice herself had cut it with all her lying and deceit. The only needle that Ava was feeling right now was the one poking into her heart. No sob story could ever make up for the fact that Beatrice did not think her to be trustworthy enough for the truth.

Ava finished her sandwich and threw the wrapper on the floor of the van. She saw that Lilith had her sub still unwrapped on her lap. The taller woman was leaning against the wall of the van, about to fall asleep. The actress silently regarded this woman who has known Beatrice for years, who had faith in her no matter what, who chose to stay behind. Was the fighter worth all that?

“Lilith,” Ava began.

“Hmm?” Lilith mumbled in reply, stirring out of her light nap.

“Your father allowed you to go with Diego and Beatrice. Why did you really stay? Was it really because you think there was nothing for you out there?” Ava asked.

“Your ignorance could really be a downer, Ava. What don’t you get about the whole affair? I stayed behind to protect you,” Lilith snapped. The actress sensed the sudden shift in her mood and realized that she must have hit a sore spot.

“Why are you so mad at me? It’s not like I forced you to stay. You lot were the ones trying to kidnap me,” Ava retorted.

“Because we had a plan. It’s always been the three of us for years. All we ever had was each other. We were almost free, but then you had to come along and disrupt everything. She loved me first! I was supposed to be the one Beatrice was saving, but now I’m stuck here with you,” Lilith replied.

“I never asked for any of this,” Ava said.

“And yet you get to have everything,” Lilith replied.

“You think this is everything?” Ava said, gesturing at the expanse of the van’s interior. “You don’t know what I’ve been through, you don’t know who I am. There must be a good reason Beatrice fell in love with me.”

Lilith closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She stared at the vehicle’s grey ceiling for a while before responding.

“I’m sorry,” Lilith replied. “I hate sharing. I hated sharing my toys, my books, and I definitely hate sharing the one I love. And Beatrice, she is not to be shared. I know her heart belongs to you alone. She loves you, Ava. She will die if anything happens to you. And I love her. That was the reason I stayed. Does that answer your question?

Lilith placed her sandwich back in the bag. She was in no mood to eat. The taller girl leaned back against the wall of the van when Ava did not reply and the pair spent the next hour in silence. The ride was smooth and the actress sensed that they were traveling at high speeds. She guessed that they were cruising along a freeway.

Ava thought how hard it must have been for a proud girl like Lilith to admit defeat, to exclaim that she has lost to another girl who never even tried. But what was the prize - the heart of a liar? The actress did not even know if she still wanted it. It was funny, all those weeks of building her courage to be with Beatrice, only to be unsure in the end.

It was the actress who broke the silence once again. “Lilith, how can you be sure that Beatrice is still going to come for me? She already left with Diego, she had the freedom she wanted and the chance to give your brother a better life. Why would she come back?”

“She has not yet fulfilled all the conditions for our freedom. Padre gave her his word that he would release the three of us if she manages to hand you over and if she wins her next fight. If she loses, the Padre is going to hunt them. There’s no escaping him,” Lilith replied.

“And you believe the word of a criminal?” the actress said, amused.

“Ava, when you deal with cartels, you don’t leave a trail. Agreements are never written on paper. The only reputation you have is the strength of your word. This system of trust and honesty is the only way deals and alliances are formed,” Lilith explained. “So yes, the Padre might be a lot of things but he stays true to his word.”

The actress snorted. “Things are a hell lot of crazier than I thought. Seriously? You are talking about an honesty system for criminals? Somehow, I am not assured.”

“Well, here is your assurance that she’s coming back,” Lilith replied.

“What?” Ava asked, confused.

The taller girl faced the actress and gave her a smile, “Me. I am your assurance. The first woman she has ever loved. Her first friend. You may not believe in Beatrice anymore, but I do. I have faith that she would never leave me. She’ll return for us, Ava.”

xxx

Ava had no use for most of her senses while inside the closed quarters of the van. With no actual reference for how much time has passed and with no idea where they were going either, the actress thought that she would lose her mind. Lilith had long dozed off beside her, and with nothing else better to do, Ava decided to take a nap as well.

It was the sound of knocking that woke the actress a few hours later. Lilith rapped her knuckles against the sliding window of the panel that separated them from the front of the van. Ava saw that it was Quebral who slid open the window, a tiny crack enough to allow one eye to peep through. Lorenzo must be on the wheel.

“How many more hours?” Lilith asked.

“About six,” Quebral replied before shutting the window on Lilith’s face.

“Six more fucking hours?!” Ava cannot help but exclaim.

“Quick,” Lilith replied, rushing over to sit beside the actress. “I need to tell you what’s going to happen when we arrive at the mansion. Padre Vicente took a plane back. He would already be there waiting for us. Now this man who wants you, Adriel? He does not want to hurt you. All he wants are your secrets, the information you were able to gather about his operations. He wants to lock those away forever. Padre Vicente would have his men pry those secrets out of you. He was given special instructions not to put any mark on your skin but I know him. He knows methods that will make you scream without it showing on your pretty little face.”

“But I will stall, okay? Those methods are the last resort. The original plan anyway was for Beatrice to introduce me to you. I did all the research, followed you for months. I was supposed to get you to trust me with those secrets,” Lilith explained. “I will convince Padre that I can still do that. That you’ll be more honest with me if I befriend you rather than with any of his methods. But for that to work, you have to give me something, some plausible story that would look like a secret Adriel might want to know. You have six hours.”

“Fuck, Lilith. Way to pressure a girl?” Ava replied.

“I’m not kidding, Ava. These methods, Beatrice are used to them, but you’re not. You did not grow up under the Padre’s care. They will break you. It would help if you did not treat everything as a joke,” Lilith said.

“I can’t help it if it’s my coping mechanism,” Ava bit back. Lilith drew a deep breath and massaged her forehead with her thumbs.

“Lilith,” the actress started seriously, “Why are you doing this? You don’t even like me. It can’t only be about Beatrice. You don’t seem to be the type of person to do things solely for love. There must be some other reason.”

The taller girl gave the actress a thoughtful look, regarding her with discerning eyes.

“We need to get you out whatever it takes,” Lilith said with a smile. “I know what you are fighting for, Ava. Our younger selves would wish we had someone like you to fight for us.”

xxx

Mary heard a light knock on her front door. It was the second afternoon that she was spending just lounging inside her apartment after she quit her job the other day. She already informed Mother Superion about the truth of Ava’s whereabouts and the older woman advised her to talk to the actress as soon as possible and apprise her of the situation but she could not reach her at all. That did not surprise Mary, though. She has known Ava to take days to reply. Beatrice, however, did not return any of her calls or texts either.

She strode over to her front door and opened it to reveal a woman in a brown leather jacket, her left arm around the shoulder of a young boy.

“You never answered the million texts I sent you,” Mary started. “But I guess showing up unexpectedly at my front door more than makes up for that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry nothing much happens here, but we need a bridge to get to the next chapter.
> 
> As always, comments are appreciated!


	12. A Fabric of Women

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to trixreads.
> 
> Thanks again for bringing my Beatrice to life. I named a character after you ;P

Beatrice immediately felt the pain as her back was slammed against the glass display cabinet. The furniture in question was beside the beige living room couch where she was sitting just a few moments ago. She was thankful that she still had her backpack to cushion the blow and shield her body from the shards of glass that were now on the floor.

“Hermana!” Diego shouted. Upon hearing the loud crash, the boy bolted from the dining room table where he was sitting reading his comic book. Beatrice held a hand up to calm the boy down. The fighter was caught by surprise. Although she was petite, she had not expected Mary to be able to lift her by her collars and slam her body against the nearest surface available as smoothly as she did.

Beatrice took stock of the situation. The cop’s grip on her collars was loose and her stance was a little too wide. Most importantly, she was angry, really angry. Beatrice knew how easily fury could cloud one’s judgment. It would be just too simple to bring her down, turn this match around.

Yet this was not a fight. This might be Mary’s preliminary version of justice and Beatrice welcomed it. She accepted that taking a beating from the other woman was not even half of what she deserved for everything that she did. The fighter would have chosen to go limp and hang her arms by her sides in surrender if only time was not the essence.

She closed her left hand around Mary’s wrist, gripping it just tight enough.

“Mary, I understand that you are angry and you have every right to be, but we have no time for this, Ava’s safety is at stake,” Beatrice pleaded.

“You dare talk to me about Ava’s safety? All I ever did was to try and keep her safe. I trusted you and you took advantage of that,” Mary replied. Her grip on the fighter’s collars tightened. Behind her, Diego began tearing up.

“Mary, you could keep doing this, but let me remind you I am a professional fighter. You will not like the outcome,” Beatrice dared to say.

“Are you threatening me inside my own home?” Mary replied.

“No. I’m just trying to talk some sense into you. I came clean about what I did and I know the consequences. You could slam me against every surface of this room, you could arrest me, or you could let me help you save Ava first before you do what you want with me,” Beatrice replied. Mary’s hold on her clothing slacked but she kept her hands on the fighter.

“What makes you think I would need your help? You pretending to help Ava was what got her in danger in the first place,” Mary said.

“Mary, will all due respect, the man who has Ava now runs a crime ring that has been operating under the nose of the FBI for at least twenty-five years. There is no way you would be able to infiltrate his organization without the aid of someone who has known it from the inside. I practically grew up there,” Beatrice reasoned.

“I don’t work with criminals,” Mary said, finally letting go of the fighter.

“I tried to save Ava as early as her first week in the camp. I decided that I can no longer get on board Padre Vicente’s plan,” Beatrice explained.

“I was not born yesterday, Beatrice. I’ve been in law enforcement for eight years. Criminals like you simply do not change. You claim to be reformed but you just spiral back into it, back to your lust for power. Playing by the rules just like everyone else would not satisfy you,” Mary said. “Greed is your only motivation.”

“What happened here?” a woman who just opened the door to the apartment said. Mary’s flat was cramped. Anyone who was by the door would automatically be greeted by a full view of the sparse living room which tiled floor was now littered with shards of glass. “Sorry, the door was unlocked so I let myself in.”

“Nothing, we were just having a very spirited disagreement,” Mary replied.

“Well, let us move this to the dining room, shall we?” the woman said. She locked the door behind her, placed her jacket on the hanger by the staircase, and walked to the dining area like she owned the place. Beatrice saw that she had long, wavy brown hair and a scar that ran across her right eye.

Mary motioned for the fighter to follow the woman.

“How about Diego?” Beatrice asked as she fixed the collar of her shirt.

“Hey, I’m sorry about what you saw a while ago,” Mary said, approaching the boy. “If you go up the stairs, there’s a room to the left. I have a PS4 set up there, or turn on the TV if you like.”

Diego looked at Beatrice who nodded her approval. The boy gave the pair a smile before running up the stairs.

The older woman was standing beside the circular wooden table of the small dining area. Beatrice saw that a granite breakfast island divided the dining room from the yellow tiled kitchen that housed a two-burner stove, a sink, and a two-door fridge.

“Will you make us some coffee, Mary, please,” the woman said.

Mary glared at her, “Superion...”

“Just do it, please. I’d do it myself if only I knew how to work your machine. Take a seat, Beatrice” the woman ordered. She took out a calling card from her pocket and placed it in front of where Beatrice sat by the table. Mary rolled her eyes and shook her head, but began placing coffee grounds on the brewing machine that was on the breakfast island.

The fighter took the card and read from it.

“You’re feds?” Beatrice asked.

“ ‘Course we are. This is a federal crime we are dealing with. Cops and feds, it’s all the same to Ava. In any case, we’re law enforcement,” Mary replied from behind the woman.

“That would make sense, although she always called you a cop,” Beatrice said and began to read from the card. “You are...?”

“Mary’s boss. Everyone calls me Mother Superion, you can call me that if you like,” Mother Superion said. “Mary’s already told me the gist of the story but I would like to hear it from you.”

“Oh. You are THE Mother Superion?” Beatrice exclaimed, recalling the conversation she had with Mary when she first met the agent back at Ava’s Malibu manor.

“Yes, I was the one Mary was suspecting to be the mole when it has been you the entire time,” Mother Superion replied sternly and the fighter dropped her head.

“As Mary might have told you, I was in a convent before I revoked my vows,” Mother Superion added as she took the seat next to Beatrice. “After that, I became a cop in Fresno for years before I became a special agent at the FBI. And then I -” The older woman continued but stopped as soon as she neared the fighter and was able to get a full view of her features. With her mouth still open, she began inspecting Beatrice’ face from every angle. The fighter exchanged puzzled looks with Mary as she felt the uneasiness that came with being scrutinized.

“Superion?” Mary began, worried about the woman’s current state of being stationary.

“You look familiar, very familiar,” Superion said, more to herself than to her companions.

“She’s a UFC fighter with an upcoming match, you might have seen her on TV or the internet,” Mary replied.

“No, I doubt that’s where I saw you from,” Mother Superion replied.

“You just said that you were a cop in Fresno, Beatrice here told me that’s where this Padre Vicente’s operations are based,” Mary surmised. “Could have been that you saw her face in some local investigation?”

“That’s not possible, I left the police force sixteen years ago to join the FBI,” Superion recalled. “Beatrice would have been...”

“Seven,” Beatrice replied.

“Seven, you sure?” Mother Superion said.

“I can’t be sure, actually, I don’t really know how old I am,” Beatrice replied. “I don’t really recall who I was from before I was lost.”

“Lost?” Mother Superion asked with a curious expression. It looked to Beatrice like she was racking her mind for clues. She thought it was funny how this woman she just met would think she has those answers hidden somewhere in the folds of her brain when no one, not even herself, has had any hint for years.

“Let’s start, shall we, we’ve got plenty of ground to cover,” Mary said impatiently, placing steaming mugs of coffee in front of the older woman and the fighter.

“With all due respect, Mother Superion, Mary is right. Who I was is not important. What is of essence is that we get to Ava before Adriel does. Not only is her safety at stake, so is the case that you are building,” Beatrice said and saw Mary and Mother Superion share a look.

“You haven’t told her?” Mother Superion asked Mary.

“No,” Mary replied.

“Told me what?” Beatrice asked. She hated being the only clueless person in the room. That seldom happened, if at all.

“We’re the ones asking questions, Beatrice,” Mary told the fighter curtly as she sat down across from her with her own steaming mug in hand. “Now, for Superion’s sake, begin your story to when this Padre Vicente first told you of the job.”

xxx

“She’s confessed to all her crimes, I say we call our colleagues and have her arrested,” Mary whispered to Mother Superion in the living room. Shards of glass were still scattered around the two but the owner of the house has not bothered to clean up the mess yet. The pair left Beatrice in the dining room. The fighter stared at Mary’s fridge contemplatively, trying her best to listen to the whispers that came from the adjacent room.

“No. We can’t,” Mother Superion replied.

“I know we can’t arrest her because we just both quit our jobs, that’s why we call up our colleagues and tip them with the information. Ferguson does not want anything to do with the Adriel case, but this is an entirely new investigation, and there are still those who are loyal to you,” Mary reasoned.

“I actually can arrest her,” Mother Superion said, taking her leather wallet out of her pocket and showing her badge to Mary. “They did not accept my resignation.”

“And they accepted mine in a heartbeat?” Mary said, not believing what she was hearing.

“To be fair, you flipped off a United States attorney,” Mother Superion replied.

“I guess it’s better this way, at least we still have someone from the inside,” Mary said. “A two-decade-old crime ring that has operated under the nose of the FBI? How could this have happened?”

Mother Superion shook her head. “Vicente seems like he is a careful man. He kept in his own lane for decades, didn’t expose himself. This was his first grave mistake, looks like he tried to branch out to what was way out of his league. He has trained his followers to obey him blindly,” she said, gesturing to Beatrice.

“Oh, don’t tell me you believe her sob story? It’s self-serving and will not absolve her of the crimes she has committed. She is still a criminal at the end of the day,” Mary replied.

“Mary, I thought you, of all people, would not view the world as black and white,” Mother Superion said. Mary regarded her former boss before answering.

“Do not make this about my mother. She was not a criminal, she was forced to kill her husband out of self-defense,” Mary reasoned.

“And this is the only life Beatrice knew. This was how she was raised to be,” Mother Superion replied.

“I was raised that way, too. A broken family, violent household. I witnessed my mother kill my father before he could murder her first, only to see her go behind the bars for it. I was ripped apart by prosecutors on the witness stand. I failed to absolve my mother for what she did. Did I become a criminal?” Mary reasoned.

“You had a great support system, an aunt who took you in, sent you to school, cousins who saw you as their own sister. Beatrice had no one,” Mother Superion reasoned. “When I first knew you and learned where you came from, I didn’t think you would amount to much, if I am to be honest. But here we are. Look, I am not trying to defend the girl. We are not here to judge her. But yes, I am inclined to believe what you call was her sob story. I have my reasons, but you will find out once I am sure. I want to talk to the boy she’s with.”

xxx

Beatrice crouched on the floor and tried to pick the bigger shards of glass one by one to place them on the trash bin. She hated being idle, but the older woman was done with her interrogation and was currently questioning Diego in the dining room. She imagined how the boy must have been terrified at being interviewed by people he just met and the fighter wanted to be there beside him. It was not that she did not trust Mary’s boss. She just can’t help but think about Vicente, the man who still wants to be called Padre even decades after he left the church, whenever she sees the woman who prefers to be called Mother Superion. However, Mary insisted that she step out, afraid that her presence would influence the boy’s answers. The fighter really needed to be on Mary’s good side.

Beatrice heard two footsteps behind her.

“You don’t have to do that,” Mary said. “I was the one who broke the glass.”

“You wouldn’t have broken the glass if you hadn’t slammed my body against it, and you wouldn’t have slammed my body against it if I hadn’t done what I did to Ava,” Beatrice replied. Mary crouched on the floor beside the fighter and began picking the shards of glass to help her.

“The last time Ava and I spoke, she went to me for advice because she was hurting,” Mary started.

“Hurting?” Beatrice asked.

“She said there was another woman in your room, that you’ve been avoiding her for days only for her to discover another woman in your room. I didn’t think you would be the type,” Mary said.

“Are you trying to prove that I am a bad person? You don’t have to, Mary. I already confessed to being a criminal,” Beatrice said. “But it was not what Ava thought it was. That woman was Lilith, Diego’s Hermana, the one I told you who stayed behind to protect Ava.”

“Why would she do that? If what you said is real, that you did what you had to do to free yourselves from this Padre Vicente, why would she stay behind the last minute? You were the one who fell in love with Ava. She hardly met her,” Mary asked. “And you, you had the chance to go far away with the boy you said you were trying to save in the first place. Why come to me of all people?”

Beatrice glanced at Mary with an amused look on her face. “What, you’ve never met a person you’d be willing to risk everything for?”

Mary shrugged.

“Lilith loved me. As a lover and as her only friend. She knows I would die if something ever happens to Ava. And you might not believe it but I love Ava. I know she would never forgive me for lying to her and that we could never be together after what I did,” Beatrice swallowed a lump in her throat and continued, “but that doesn’t matter anymore. It doesn’t matter that I never knew who I was. What matters is I know the person I became - a criminal. I know I have to pay for all my wrongdoings, even if that means losing my career and going to jail. I am also aware there is no life for me after this and it is all my fault. But I have to make sure that Ava is safe first and that she gets to do what she needs to do for your fight. She is the best of us and I’m only trying to make things right.”

“You’re right,” Mary replied before standing up and walking back to the dining room, “you are responsible for the person you became.”

xxx

Mother Superion glanced up from where she was sitting beside Diego as Mary strode to the dining table to take a seat. The boy had his eyes cast down on a bowl of cereal in front of him.

“Please eat,” Mother Superion said in what Mary recognized was the sweetest voice she could muster.

“Not hungry,” the boy said. “I’m not going to eat until my Hermana Beatrice has also eaten.”

“You two seem really close,” Mother Superion remarked.

“Yes. Whenever Padre Vicente would refuse to give me dinner in order to punish me, Beatrice would give me her share. That is why I cannot eat knowing that she has not yet eaten,” the boy replied.

“Well, I offered Beatrice cereal, but she said she prefers to eat something else so we’re going to grab a bite later. You should eat now,” Mary replied. The boy lit up at her news and took his first hungry spoonful of the Cheerios swimming in milk. He devoured the entire bowl in less than a minute.

“More?” Mary asked and the boy nodded. Mary motioned to get the bowl butDiego pulled the ceramic away from her hand.

“You pushed my Hermana earlier. My Hermana is a good person. She just wants to save all of us from my padre,” Diego said.

“I know,” Mary replied, reaching for the bowl to refill it with cereal. “I’m sorry for my behavior earlier.”

“Have you said sorry to her?” Diego asked.

“Not yet, but I will,” Mary replied as she poured milk from the carton over the Cheerios. She pushed the bowl to the boy once more.

Mother Superion observed the exchange between the two before speaking, “Diego, your padre, does he hurt you?”

“Not him. His men. Sometimes, he would also not allow me to be given food for a day,” Diego narrated. He showed the scars and bruises that were still visible on his arms to the two women.

“And why would he ask his men to hurt you?” Mother Superion asked.

“He said he wants me to be a man. To grow up. He would hurt me whenever he catches me doing things that he says a grown-up shouldn’t,” Diego replied.

“How long has this been going on?” Mother Superion asked.

“Since I was seven,” Diego replied. The older woman exchanged a look with Mary.

“And Beatrice, she just let this happen? She said that she agreed to do bad things in order to save you and your Hermana. Why is she only acting now after four years?” Mary asked.

“She was away a lot during that time. That was when she started fighting, the first time I actually saw her smile. One day, she returned from training and saw Lorenzo whooping my bottom. She got into a fight with him and broke his nose. Lorenzo broke her rib. It took several months for her to be able to fight again but she said it was not my fault,” Diego narrated. “Hermana Beatrice would allow herself to be blamed for the wrong things that I did so that they would not hurt me. She gets the punishment instead. Whenever Padre orders me to go hungry, she gives me her share of food. In turn, I tried to do well in my studies, be a better grown-up, so she wouldn’t have to get hurt for me.”

“You said that the first time you actually saw her smile was when she started fighting,” Mother Superion remarked.

“Back in my padre’s house, there were not many things to smile about. But I saw how happy Hermana Beatrice was whenever she is fighting or training. I always loved her stories whenever she goes home from practice. It was like she was able to...I can’t remember the words adults use,” Diego said.

“Find a purpose?,” Mother Superion suggested.

“Yes, that’s it. And a way out. You see, my Hermana and Hermana Beatrice, they don’t make their own money. Padre provides everything that we need. She thought that by fighting, she could make money on her own, be what do you call it....independent, finally get us out of there,” Diego replied. “But that never happened. Padre, he fixed my Hermana’s fights, ordered her to cheat. He would say whether she should win or not. Mi Hermana, she became very sad. She loved fighting more than anything, it was what made her the happiest.”

“Call her in,” Mother Superion said. “Diego, thank you for speaking with us, you may now go back upstairs.” Mary leaned back on her seat to get the fighter’s attention from where the girl was sitting on the couch and motioned for her to come to the dining room. Beatrice walked back and rumpled Diego’s hair as he passed her by on his way back to Mary’s game room.

“Mary, Mother Superion, please listen. I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions. I told you my story not to excuse myself. Mary was right. It was my choice to become a criminal. Everything was my fault. I, alone, am responsible for the person I became. I know I’m going to jail after this, that I will never set foot in a fighting cage ever again, and that Ava will never forgive me. All I’m asking for is a little more time to delay all that so that we could save Ava first,” Beatrice said earnestly.

“Criminals are not in any position to be asking us for anything,” Mary replied curtly and the fighter cast her eyes down.

“Beatrice,” Mother Superion started, giving Mary a stern look. “Apart from your story and Diego’s, do you have any physical evidence linking you to this Padre Vicente and his alleged criminal organization?”

Beatrice gave the question a thought before lifting her shirt up to expose her body. She pulled the left side of her sports bra down to reveal a fish with an eye tattoo.

“Everyone in our organization has this. Padre Vicente had this tattooed on me when I turned thirteen. He has the same tattoo hidden in plain sight somewhere in his forearms. Diego would get his own tattoo in two years,” Beatrice said. “The fish with an eye was the symbol of St. Vincent. Google it.”

Mary whipped her phone out to do what the fighter just suggested but Mother Superion did not seem to be interested in the tattoo. She was staring at something else on the fighter’s body. Beatrice started to put her shirt down but the older woman’s hand was on her wrist in an instant, stopping her.

“That mark, is that a scar?” Mother Superion said, pointing to a pink mark peeking just below the waistband of the fighter’s bra. Beatrice pulled the waistband up to look at it.

“No, it’s been there since they found me. I think it was a birthmark,” Beatrice replied.

“And you said that Padre Vicente’s men found you in Dankworth Park in Fresno?” the older woman confirmed.

“Yes, just along the edges. I remember reading the sign. That was my earliest memory of anything,” Beatrice replied, finally putting the hem of her shirt back down.

“It can’t be...,” Mother Superion muttered to herself, shaking her head. “I can’t be wrong, I can’t be wrong.”

“Superion, is everything okay?” Mary asked, exchanging confused looks with Beatrice.

“I have to go,” the older woman said, suddenly standing up. “I have to check something out, just to make sure. I’ll be back this evening.”

“What?” Mary said, not believing her ears, but her former boss was already retrieving her jacket from the hanger by the front door and was out before she could reach her.

xxx

“I know!” Ava said excitedly. Lilith’s head shot up from where it was resting on her palms to look at her companion.

“You finally have a story to tell Padre Vicente?” Lilith asked. They spent what the taller girl estimated to be at least three hours trying to make up a story. Lilith said that whatever secret she will divulge to Vicente should be convincing and useful,but the actress wanted to make sure that she would not put any of the girls, or the investigation, in jeopardy.

“Mark Boone. He is a TV executive that I have a big ax to grind against. I’m going to make up a story that during the time I was shadowing Adriel, I found out that Mark had plans to cut into his business. I know Adriel would appreciate that information, he sure loves his monopoly over the girls. I’ll give him a fake list of actresses and models that Mark is supposedly going after. That way, Adriel would not gun for the girls, but get Mark instead. I’ll let them tear each other’s throats,” Ava said. “Do you think that would be enough for Vicente?”

“Well, if you say that Adriel is going to appreciate that information, and we could angle it to say that Padre would have influence over two Hollywood executives with this secret alone, it might work,” Lilith said. “You hate this Mark fellow that much to use him as bait? You do realize that aside from Adriel, you can also have him coming for you?”

“Let him come for me. I know first hand what he did to my friend when I was a child. I have something on him,” Ava replied.

Ava and Lilith spent the next remaining hours of the trip fleshing out the finer points of the story. The taller woman was a great help in pointing out which parts would impress her father, and which ones he would think are ridiculous. When they’re finally satisfied that they had a solid tale, the girls took a nap, each wishing that they’d finally be where they ought to be when they wake up. Claustrophobia coupled with being kidnapped did not do well for Ava’s spirits.

It was Lilith who shook the actress’ shoulders awake a few hours later.

“Hey, we’re here,” Lilith said.

“Ugh, fina-fucking-ly!” Ava groaned. “So, will I finally get to see the den of a criminal mastermind?” she said too excitedly for her situation.

“It’s just a house, though quite a big one,” Lilith said. “I will still have to blindfold you, Padre Vicente wouldn’t want you to be able to retrace your steps.”

“Fine,” Ava groaned. As if she was not exposed to too much darkness already during the past day. The California native in her longed for the feeling of the sun on her skin.

Lilith moved behind her to tie a folded up black bandana over her eyes. “It’s only for a little while. We have our story and as soon as you convince the Padre that it is true, we’ll be in my room. That’s where you’re staying. You can convince him, right? You’re an actress.”

“Of course,” a blindfolded Ava replied. “Hey, does your room have only one bed? Do you mean we’d be sleeping on the same bed?”

“There’s only one bed. Don’t get any ideas,” Lilith replied.

The vehicle slowed down after a few minutes and Ava felt an uphill climb.

“You live on top of a hill?” Ava asked, amused.

“To better see our enemies as they come,” Lilith replied.

“That’s smart, I’d give you that,” Ava said.

“Can’t be in this business if you’re not smart,” Lilith replied.

The van climbed for a few more minutes until it stopped. One of the men turned off the engine and Ava heard the sound of the van’s door sliding open. Finally, she felt the cool, fresh wind of the outdoors.

“We’re here, bitches,” she heard Lorenzo’s voice say. “That was a fucking bumpy ride, Quebral, I’m never going to let you drive again.”

“And what, you are going to drive alone for twenty-four hours straight?,” Quebral mocked his partner.

“Boys, boys, boys, I expected you to be in your best behavior in front of our guest,” a third voice said. Ava recognized it as Padre Vicente’s and chills ran down her spine.

“I’m sorry, Padre,” the boys exclaimed in unison.

“Welcome to my casa, Miss Silva,” Padre Vicente said with a sickeningly sweet voice and Ava felt heavy hands close around her shoulders. She longed to twist out of the man’s hold but she knew it would be unwise at this point.

“Lilith, will you please lead her to the chamber,” Padre Vicente said.

“This soon, Padre? We just came from a long trip,” Lorenzo said.

“You can join Ms. Silva in the chamber and I can have my other men complete the job if you think that you have better things to do with your time,” Padre Vicente said. His hands left Ava’s shoulders and the sweet voice was gone. This was the real Padre unraveling himself in front of the actress’ blindfolded eyes.

“Actually, Padre...,” Lilith began.

“You, too? Why do my people suddenly think they have any right to say anything after I have given my order? Where did I go wrong here? Had I not brought you up properly? Where is this bold spirit coming from?,” Padre Vicente replied. The chills that ran along the actress' spine intensified. Their plan will not work if Lilith does not have her father’s trust.

“Padre, I just wanted to save you time and effort. The chamber is not necessary. Ava is ready to tell you her story. She discovered something about Adriel, information that we think would be very valuable to your plans. I managed to convince her that telling you would be the wise thing to do,” Lilith said.

“Do you hear that, boys? Is Lilith finally earning her keep? Can you believe that?” Padre Vicente said and the two men sniggered. Ava felt Lilith’s hand that was around her wrist tighten.

“Tell me, how did you manage to accomplish in a day what Beatrice failed to do in a month?,” Padre Vicente said.

“I, I...,” Lilith faltered.

“She talked to me,” Ava interjected. “That’s all she had to do. Beatrice, she’s the silent type. She tried, I know now that she really tried to get the story out of me but we didn’t really connect.”

That was the greatest lie she has ever told, but she was an actress, the top of her class at a prestigious drama school. Her reply was met with silence. Ava was sure that the man was thinking her words over.

“You’re right. Beatrice can be aloof and a loner most of the time. Her personality is perfect for the main work, but probably not this job,” Padre Vicente replied. “I never thought I would say this but, great job Lilith. You’ve exceeded my expectations, which, up until this point, is zero. I’ll be expecting more from you from now on. Now, bring Ms. Silva to my office instead.”

xxx

Lilith sat Ava carefully on a hard wooden chair before undoing her blindfold. She could tell that there was a desk in front of her so the actress felt for it, leaning her left elbow on top when she found it. Her eyes adjusted to the fuzziness of the room around her. Through the glass window, she saw that it was already in the evening. The only light source in the room came from a simple table lamp emitting a warm, yellow glow. There was a map of California behind the desk, framed by two wooden bookshelves. The desk itself was clean, save for a Macbook Pro and a few envelopes neatly stacked beside it.

The man who fashioned himself as Padre Vicente settled on the brown leather executive chair behind the desk and in front of the actress. He was still in his black button-down with its sleeves rolled up, exposing his tattoos. Ava wondered how many of those shirts he owned.

“Shall we start?” Padre Vicente said. There was a warm smile on his face that did not belong there and Ava felt sick to her stomach. Lilith settled on the seat beside her. The man swung his chair around to a small table behind him housing a crystal bottle of brown liquor and some glasses. He placed two glasses in front of Ava and Lilith and began pouring the brown liquid in each.

“Bourbon?” Padre Vicente asked.

“No, thank you,” Ava said. “You’re not having any?”

“I don’t drink when I am making transactions,” Padre Vicente replied, smiling. Lilith downed half of her glass in one go, wincing at the pain in her chest.

“So...,” the man started.

“I was shadowing Adriel for a while, trying to learn his business. I was not able to send any girls his way yet because it was not easy. It’s not like I want to do it,” Ava began.

“I understand,” the man replied.

“But I did try getting close to his targets. And when I did, I discovered something. Someone else was trying to eat into Adriel’s business. Mark Boone, a big TV executive, comparable to Adriel in film. Mark had been trying to poach the girls away and Adriel dislikes competition. But I was afraid to go and tell him about it because Mark and I go way back. He was the reason I got written out of my show when I was a child and I was scared he’d still have the same influence if I ratted him out to Adriel. I’m only restarting my career, I had one movie!” Ava said in mock distress that Lilith picked her glass up one more time and replaced it on her lips to hide her grin. Padre Vicente took it to mean that she wanted more of the drink so he poured the taller woman another shot.

“So I went to the cops. I went to them about Mark, not Adriel. I was loyal to him, still am. He built my career again when it was Mark who tried to destroy it. I thought that I was only giving them a tip but they wanted to involve me further. The reason I agreed to go away with Beatrice was to escape from my entanglement in the case,” Ava explained.

“And this Mark Boone guy, he has that influence, he really thinks he can compete with Adriel?” Padre Vicente asked.

“He has a hold on television, and the TV industry has been slowly increasing its market share these past few years with actors crossing over more than ever. Adriel has a right to be threatened,” Ava replied.

“Very well, thank you, Ms. Silva,” Padre Vicente said. “Congratulations, Lilith. I apologize for underestimating you all these years.”

xxx

The woman drummed her fingers against the wheel of her Nissan as she waited in the parking lot of the Kern County Museum in Bakersfield. She had asked her former partner in the police department to meet her halfway as soon as possible. Mother Superion thought about how glad she was that she still had some sort of influence over her former department.

Her phone’s screen notified her of her friend’s text message saying that he was just by the entrance of the museum complex. A few minutes later, a silver Infiniti slid over the parking slot next to her car and the driver rolled down the window.

“You don’t exchange a word with me in five years and then you ask me to meet you halfway all the way from Fresno,” the man said, greeting the woman.

“I’ve missed you, too, Kristian,” Mother Superion replied with a smile. “Got what I asked you to bring?”

“Tricky, I had to drive all the way to our warehouse to access the archives. This file has been collecting dust for sixteen years. Why are you suddenly remembering this unresolved case?” the man said, handing a thin folder to Mother Superion through the window of their cars.

“I never forgot, Kristian,” Mother Superion replied as she opened the folder to a picture of a young girl in a white dress, white sneakers, and a pink scarf tied around her neck. “Not a day has gone by that I did not think about her.”

xxx

Mother Superion was back at Mary’s apartment at about eight in the evening with the folder under her arm and bags of Chinese take out in each of her hands. She was puzzled when the former agent called her and asked her to bring food for six people. She knew that Beatrice and the boy were still hungry from the drive they took from North Dakota. She just didn’t think they would be that hungry.

Mary opened the door for her former boss when she rang, grabbing the bags of food from her hand to help her. The former nun placed her jacket once more on the hanger by the staircase and noticed that there were two other coats hanging there. In the living room, Mother Superion saw two women sitting on the couch - a brunette with short-cropped hair and another with her long dirty blonde hair in a french braid. Their heads were bowed together and deep in discussion.

“They’re asleep in my room, Beatrice and the boy. I told them to rest since we have no idea where you went or when you will return,” Mary said.

“Who are those, then?” Mother Superion whispered to Mary, gesturing to the two visitors.

“Those are Ava’s and Beatrice’ friends from the camp, her manager, and her coach. They know part of the story and they want to help,” Mary replied.

“They are civilians, Mary,” Mother Superion said.

“I’m a civilian,” Mary reminded her former boss. “You don’t have a plan yet, do you? I know you’re not going to the FBI with this information. If you had planned to, you would already have as soon as you heard the story from Beatrice. You and I both know you appreciate the direct approach.”

“You’re right, we don’t know who to trust. We can’t let anyone think that we are planning to move. Something tells me that we have to operate outside the bounds of our justice system,” Mother Superion replied as she let out a heavy sigh. Mary gave her an amused look.

“What?” Mother Superion asked.

“I just...never heard you speak about breaking protocol before,” Mary replied.

“Then you don’t know me as well as you think you do. I used to be aggressive, undisciplined, broke rules here and there. I am a woman, I had to be creative to move up the ranks or else I would be passed upon for less qualified men,” Mother Superion said.

“You are talking about taking justice into our own hands,” Mary said.

“Sometimes, that’s the only way you could get justice,” Mother Superion replied. “Come on, wake her up, there’s something she needs to know.”

xxx

Beatrice fixed the round-rimmed glasses that sat on her face as she walked down the stairs of Mary’s apartment. The agent had woken her up to inform her that Mother Superion has returned from her mysterious trip with some news. She left Diego dozing on the bed beside her and followed Mary out of the room.

It was when she replaced her glasses on top of her nose that the living room came into focus. On the couch, Camila and Shannon were waiting for her with worried looks on their faces.

“Camila, what are you two doing here? I thought I made it clear that I needed your help to make everyone else think that I’m still in the camp?” Beatrice said, surprised. Her manager-slash-assistant greeted her with a bone-crushing hug.

“I’m sorry we got separated the other night on such bad terms. You left a lot of questions hanging so I went into the penthouse room snooping around. Ava left her phone under her pillow and I was able to contact Mary. We know you and Ava are in trouble, Beatrice, and we are here to help,” Camila replied.

“But the camp?” Beatrice asked, disengaging herself from her friend’s hold.

“I told everyone that we had to go down to the city to do a series of interviews since the fight is nearing,” it was Shannon who replied.

“This is not wise,” Beatrice replied, shaking her head. “You are just endangering yourselves.”

“Bea, we’re your friends. No matter what I said the other night, we care for you and we are here for you,” Camila said.

“Well, I don’t deserve whatever care you have to give,” Beatrice replied coldly.

“Let’s settle this in the dining room, shall we? I know everyone is hungry,” Mother Superion said.

xxx

The group gathered around the dining table as Camila began distributing boxes of fried rice and egg rolls. Mary helped herself to a generous serving of beef and broccoli while Beatrice did not touch her food.

“Just leave some for Diego, I prefer that he complete his rest. He can eat later,” Beatrice said, eyeing the thin folder in front of Mother Superion on the table. The former nun had no plate in front of her.

“Beatrice, do you remember what you were wearing when Padre Vicente’s men found you along the edges of Dankworth Park years ago?” Mother Superion started.

“Uh, it was a...green striped shirt,” the fighter tried to recall, “over-alls and a pink scarf tied around my neck.”

“A...pink scarf,” Mother Superion muttered to herself before taking a deep breath. Mary was surprised to see tears starting to well around her eyes.

“What is this about? I thought we were done talking about who I was? It’s time to plan how to get Ava out of there,” Beatrice said, so uncharacteristically impatient that both Camila and Shannon shot her wary looks.

“We could all finish dinner and I will tell you about it in private if you prefer,” Mother Superion replied.

“There’s nothing you can say to me that you can’t in front of Camila, Shannon, and Mary. I already came clean, I have nothing left to hide,” Beatrice said.

“Okay. You mean this scarf?” Mother Superion said, taking a photo out of the folder and showing it to the group. It was the photo of a young girl in a white dress, white sneakers, and a pink scarf tied around her neck. The face was definitely, unmistakeable Beatrice’. The fighter knew it, Camila knew it that she let out a gasp, even Mary had to agree.

“Do you remember when this photo was taken?,” Mother Superion asked.

“No. Padre Vicente rarely took any photos of me growing up, said there was no use for such vanity. This must have been from before,” Beatrice replied. “Although I recognize that scarf. I sleep with a similar scarf under my pillow every night. I have it with me in my bag. Where did you get this photo?”

The fighter was puzzled. She did not know how to feel. Here it was, finally in front of her. A clue to her old life at a time when it was the least of her concerns.

“Your mother provided our station with this photo. She said that it was your most recent one taken before you were lost,” Mother Superion said. She flipped open the folder and turned it so that it was facing the rest of the group. There was not much inside, just that single photo and one sheet of paper containing vital information about the fighter typed up - her true name, her mother’s name, their address. At the bottom half of the page were some of her defining characteristics - Asian girl, eight years of age, fifty inches in height, black hair and brown eyes, freckles on her face, a pink birthmark below the left chest, wearing a green striped shirt, over-alls, black sneakers and a pink scarf tied around her neck.

The fighter turned that page over to see just one more piece of paper behind it - her mother’s statement that she assumed was in her own handwriting. She recognized the scrawling script as not unlike her own.

“There, there’s not much here,” the fighter said, stating the obvious to hide her emotions. Beside her, Camila tried to put her hand on her shoulder but Beatrice flinched away.

“I was still a cop in Fresno at the time and was on duty when your mother arrived at the station to file a missing person’s report. By that time, you’ve been missing for a week. She said she lost you at a Target parking lot. You must have walked to the nearby Dankworth Park,” Mother Superion recalled.

“Why would her mother wait that long to report that her child was missing?,” Mary asked.

“It’s not that she did not exert all efforts to find her daughter,” Mother Superion addressed Mary. “She organized her community to conduct search parties. It was only when she became desperate that she went to the authorities.”

“Your mother,” the former nun continued, “came to this country illegally and gave birth to you here. She was lucky to evade the authorities when she registered your birth. She did not come to the police right away because she was afraid of exposing her status. For her sake, she was right to be concerned. Before even lifting a finger to try and find you, my superiors reported your mother to ICE. I have it on good authority that she was deported back to her home country. I never saw her again. I tried my best to find you, but we had already lost a very important window of time and I was the only one looking. My superiors told me not to waste my time, that yours was a lost cause, that the department’s resources should be allocated to persons with higher chances of recovery.”

“You mean white people,” Mary said with disdain in her voice.

“That’s correct. I saw what the cops could do if only they wanted to look and if the parents have the resources. Flyers, pictures on milk cartons, even spots in the morning shows. None of that happened for this little girl who was lost and was left alone in this country,” Mother Superion continued. “Exactly a year after your mother reported that you were missing, I left my job. I joined the FBI under its human trafficking program. It was all because of you. Although I lost hope of ever finding you, I did not want to fail the others. That was until I saw your face and your birthmark earlier. I never forgot you. Never.”

Beatrice stood up, the expression on her face was unreadable. Her hands that were on top of the table balled into fists. She turned away from the group and punched the wall nearest to her.

“Bea!” Camila exclaimed as she saw the knuckle shaped blood that was left on the white wall. The fighter made for the door before her friend could reach her, slamming it behind her as she ran into the night.

xxx

Mary ran after the fighter, but there was just no way she would be able to catch up to Beatrice’ trained legs. The girl took a left turn around the second corner of the street where Mary’s apartment building was situated when the agent finally gave up, placing her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. She gave herself a few moments to rest until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Give her time. It can’t be easy,” Mother Superion said.

“She...she...,” Mary struggled to say. “She’s a victim. We failed her, Superion. The system let her slip through the cracks yet she’s still trying to make things right. I knew I was right to trust my gut. Her heart is indeed in the right place.”

“Yes, we failed her. She deserves to be found this time,” Mother Superion replied. “We will do right by Ava and Beatrice. Whatever it takes to protect the girls. All of them.”

xxx

Beatrice ran across the street, past other people walking by without a care in the world, past the blur of the streetlights, the shop displays, and the cafe front doors. She could hear Mary chasing after her, but she picked her legs up, not minding the burn in her muscles as she sprinted away from the agent, her feet pounding on the pavement. She did not even feel the pain in her bleeding hand. She didn’t think before she decided to punch the dining room wall. That seldom happened. Calculating moves was her forté. She knew she wanted to feel something when she did it but her body just went numb. Beatrice waited for the emotions that did not come. She had dreamed of this moment her entire life, to have just one tiny clue to who she was. She always imagined that even a small hint would trigger her memories, that everything would flow back naturally. Yet nothing. There was nothing. It was like who she was was just a set of descriptions typed on one sheet of paper, slid into an unassuming folder to gather dust in a cabinet somewhere. She was no one. How could the spring rise higher than its source?

Camila would kill her if she broke her bones in that hand. How could she fight Crimson at the end of the month if she cannot throw punches on top of the rib that she had to protect? It's a good thing that the match was not taking place. Her future was not taking place. Nothing she ever wanted nor dreamed of would ever happen now. Those were the cards she’s been dealt with. Abandoned in a foreign country, forgotten by the outside world, used by those who brought her up. She had that taste of freedom. Inside the fighting cage, she had the chance to finally be able to step into the light, to finally be seen. And what did she do with that chance? Lied to the person she loved the most? Led her into a trap? Ruined the one good thing that happened to her life?

The clock was ticking. She knows that after they get Ava into safety - if they do get her into safety, Mary would do her best to put her behind bars. It was only a matter of time before she was once again pushed back into the shadows, once more lost, unseen, and forgotten. Before that happens, she will try her best to negotiate Lilith’s freedom with Mary. Her best friend has never done the dirty work anyway, and Diego would need his Hermana. The fighter did not want the boy to gain his freedom, only to end up like her, abandoned and alone.

Beatrice was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of a car blaring its horn. She did not notice that her feet have taken her to incoming traffic, and the driver of the red truck that almost hit her rolled down his window to yell at her and flip her off. She felt a pair of arms close around her waist to pull her body from the street and into the sidewalk. It was an old man, tall, with wisps of greying hair framing the flat cap that he had on his head. His female companion who was about his age was beside Beatrice at once, placing a warm hand on the shoulder of the visibly shaken fighter. Her other hand was on the shoulder of a small girl with curly dark hair and brown eyes.

“Are you okay?” the old man inquired.

“What happened?” Beatrice asked, still startled by the sound of the blaring horn.

“The truck almost hit you, you did not know you were running towards the traffic?” the woman replied. The little girl gave the fighter a puzzled look.

“No, I...,” Beatrice took stock of her surroundings. She was at a busy intersection. Mid-rise buildings and shops lined the street. “I don’t actually know where I am.”

“My name is Edward, this is my wife Rebecca and our granddaughter, Trix. Do you know where you are going? We could take you if it's not too out of the way,” the old man said.

“You’re too kind but that’s not necessary,” Beatrice replied, eyeing the trio with a suspicious look. She wondered what this random act of altruism was about. That sort of thing never happened to her. No one ever showed the fighter kindness unless they can get something from her in return, unless she can be useful.

Except...

A giant glass display case on her left caught the fighter’s attention. It was a fragrance shop advertising a new scent. Lights inside the display case illuminated a big poster of a beautiful woman ascending from the sea, her skin glistening with the salty spray in contrast with the bright blue background, her hand on a clamshell shaped bottle.

_**Be Part of That World** _

_**Sea Breeze and Cotton by Jo Malone** _

_**Ava Silva for Jo Malone** _

Beatrice thought that it was a tacky reference to her last movie, but seeing the actress’ face for the first time in days finally made the fighter feel something. It started from her toes and coursed through her arteries, finally pulling her heart in many different directions. She missed Ava, was longing for her, was yearning to be with her. Her momentary brush with death made her realize that she wanted to see her even one last time.

“Child, are you really okay? Can we call someone?” it was the old woman who expressed her concern this time.

“Yes, as okay as I could be, considering the circumstances,” Beatrice replied vaguely.

“Take care of yourself, my child. There’s always someone waiting for you at home, wherever that place might be,” the woman said.

“Thank you. I hope so,” Beatrice replied, sadly looking at the poster one last time before tracing her steps back to Mary’s apartment.

xxx

“You really sold this Mark Boone guy to Padre Vicente, I never thought you had it in you,” Lilith said, smirking at Ava as the actress inspected her room. “You hate him that much? Just because he had you written out of a show you were growing out of anyway?”

“It’s not about me. It was never about me. It’s what he did to my friend,” Ava said. “It’s a long story, but when you know, you’d agree with me that he deserves what’s coming for him.”

“Okay, if you say so,” Lilith said, disinterested. “Well, here’s the bed.”

The taller woman pointed to a king-sized four-poster bed in the middle of the room. Pushed to one side of the wall was a bookcase stacked to the ceiling with books and beside it was a small study desk with a lamp. Ava did not know how she expected Lilith’s room to look like but this was not it. There were no pictures on the walls, no decor. It looked like the place had not been lived in permanently, like those who stayed were just passing through.

Ava glanced at the bed, the same bed in Beatrice’ story where she and Lilith supposedly made love. The actress suddenly felt sick with jealousy that she was afraid she was going to throw up all over the grey rug at its foot.

“I can take the floor,” the actress said.

“Like that will ever happen, Beatrice will kill me if she finds out,” Lilith replied. “You can sleep beside me, the bed’s big enough to put pillows in between our bodies.”

The actress did not respond to Lilith’s suggestion. Instead, she walked to the giant bookcase, scanning the titles on each shelf.

“Huh, no Discworld series?” Ava asked.

“Never been into Pratchett,” Lilith replied.

Ava continued scanning the titles, feeling their spine with her fingers when one book caught her eye. It was thin but taller and wider than the rest of the other books that its edge stuck out of the shelf. The actress tilted her head to read the title on the spine.

_**Cupid and the Myth of the Thread** _

It was real! The book was real! That meant some part of Beatrice’ story was true and staring at her right in front of her very eyes. Ava’s hand flew to it in order to grab it, wanting to run her fingers over a part of the fighter’s story that was corporeal. She almost did it, almost flipped through its pages.

But no.

She let her hand fall to her side. She was not letting herself get sucked into any more of Beatrice’ lies.

“I need to download a book. I just finished the one that I was reading when you kidnapped me and I need to read the next in the series,” Ava said, facing Lilith once more. She took her Kindle out of the pocket of the hoodie she has not yet changed out of and handed it to the taller girl.

“I’ll try to guess the wifi password, they change it ever so often,” Lilith replied, taking the device in her hand. She spent about two minutes tapping on the keyboard on the screen of the tablet when she finally found the correct one.

“Here you go, that was not so hard,” Lilith said, handing the Kindle back to Ava. “Hey, does that device have a browser? Maybe we can try to send a message to Beatrice.”

“I already thought of that, but the browser here is not working that well,” Ava said as she tapped on the device to test it. “Nope, it’s not working now. Well, that was worth a try. I’m just going to try and download my book now, try to pass the time.”

“And I am going to take a shower. You are going to take one as well as soon as I’m done,” Lilith exclaimed. “You are not to lie down or sit on my bed in your two-day-old clothes.”

xxx

The door to Lilith’s room suddenly opened with a loud bang two hours later and the pair looked behind simultaneously to find Padre Vicente by the doorframe, red in the face and fuming with anger. They were just starting to get ready for bed.

“Knock much?” Ava remarked, but Lilith shook her head in the actress’ way.

“Lilith! I just got word that Beatrice and Diego are no longer in the camp! So is her coach and that little girl who’s managing her! Do you know anything about this?” Padre Vicente said, approaching the taller girl on the bed.

“Of course, not,” Lilith replied.

“If I find out you’ve been communicating with Beatrice,” Padre Vicente warned.

“How could I, our phones were confiscated,” Lilith replied. “Ask Lorenzo and Quebral.”

“Lilith, you’ve just started to gain my attention. Do not throw any of that away. If I find out that Beatrice is up to something and you are involved, you’re a dead woman. I don’t care if you are my wife’s daughter,” Vincent said with a menacing growl to his voice. Ava saw Lilith fight the shudder that ran down her spine.

“Beatrice is a fool for asking for your freedom. You are like those animals in the zoo that were bred in captivity. It would be worse for you to be released into the wild. You wouldn’t know how to survive,” Padre Vicente said. “I never planned on setting her free even if she completes the job. I just wanted to give her a sense of purpose to help her win her next fight. In fact, I plan to control her even more. But if you’re friend is too far gone, I can easily kill her. She knows too much and she is no longer indispensable. You might have proven yourself a worthy replacement for her.”

“Just make sure you are making the right choices here, Lilith. I would hate to kill the child of my late wife,” Padre Vicente added.

“Didn’t I already make that decision? I could have gone with Beatrice, my oldest friend, and my brother, but I chose to stay with you,” Lilith replied.

Padre Vicente gave Lilith a discerning look but the taller girl did not break her resolve that Ava would have been proud of her if only they were friends. It was the man who broke the eye contact.

He sighed, “Come with me, Lilith. you have much to learn so we have to begin now,” Padre Vicente said.

xxx

When she said that she had a photographic memory, she was not kidding. Even as she ran preoccupied with thoughts that she almost got hit by a truck, Beatrice was able to retrace her steps back to Mary’s apartment, not missing a single turn. She rang the front door twenty minutes later. The blood has already coagulated in her previously bleeding hand.

Camila’s arms were around her moment Mary opened the door. From behind her manager, Mary gave Beatrice a look softer than anything the fighter has ever seen on the agent’s face. There were similar expressions on Shannon’s and Mother Superion’s eyes. The fighter hated it. The last thing she needed right now was sympathy. Not when it no longer mattered. She was still a criminal at the end of the day. She was still going to jail. She was still losing her career and the woman that she loved the most. What does it matter that she now knows that she was abandoned in another country and left without family as a child? What will it change to find out that the odds had been against her from the start?

Camila took her by her good hand to the kitchen and she allowed her feet to follow. She hated it when people fuzzed over her, but she let her friend wash the blood from her knuckles. As they passed it by, she noticed the red marks on the dining room wall where her fist met the white surface in anger. Just another thing she had to clean for Mary, apart from the shards on the floor. Camila soaped the fighter’s knuckles clean, revealing the swelling hand.

“Can you flex your fingers?” she asked and Beatrice did. It was painless.

“How is it?” Shannon asked.

“It doesn’t look broken, just swollen, we’re going to need some ice,” Camila said.

“On it,” it was Mary who responded. Camila and Shannon sat Beatrice down by the dining table. The fighter looked around her, everyone was eyeing her expectantly and no one was speaking. It was like they were walking on eggshells.

“I’m sorry I, I just needed to breathe,” Beatrice said. “I’m okay now.”

“No, you’re clearly not, if you need more time -” Camila said but the fighter interrupted her.

“Camila,” she cut her sternly. “Time is exactly what we do not have right now. We need to stop talking about me and start planning on how to save Ava.”

“We already started while you were out,” Mother Superion said. The older woman looked like there were more things she wanted to say. She opened her mouth to begin, “Beatrice, I’m really sorry, I should have exerted more effort in finding you then, I-"

“I said to stop talking about me. Now tell me, what do you have?” the fighter said, brushing the apology away.

“Well, the United States attorney refused to charge Adriel with anything, says that all the pieces of evidence Ava has gathered were useless. We think he was compromised. I just quit my job the other day because of that,” Mary admitted. She came over with the ice bag and handed it to Camila who put it against Beatrice’ outstretched hand.

“Which means, we can’t really know who to trust. We cannot involve the law enforcement in trying to rescue Ava, at least not at first, if we don’t want Adriel getting first-hand information,” Mother Superion added.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know how you expect us, three civilians, a former agent, and only one person currently in law enforcement, to break into Padre Vicente’s headquarters? That place is fortified, armed men stationed at every corner. His entire business is founded on munitions for crying out loud,” Beatrice replied.

“That’s why we don’t go to Ava. We let her come to us,” Mary said. “It was Shannon who thought of it.”

“What is it, coach?” Beatrice asked, addressing the older woman.

“The fight. We use your upcoming fight to get Vicente to take Ava out of where he is keeping her,” Shannon replied.

“That fight is not happening, I can’t put my efforts into training for a match now that I have more important things to do. The most important thing,” Beatrice added.

“That fight has to happen. You said that the reason Vicente took the contract was not the money, but to gain access into Adriel’s world, expand his influence,” Mary said.

“Look, Vicente, he would have a private box in the arena just like the last time, right?” Shannon asked.

“Of course,” Beatrice replied.

“And he is still invested in your fight even if he has Ava now?” the coach prodded.

“Yes, the match and Ava are two separate things. He has bet a ton of money on me. My freedom is still preconditioned on me winning my next match,” Beatrice replied.

“So, what we need to do is convince Vicente that the perfect place to give Ava up to Adriel is during the match. Tell him that will give him the chance to impress Adriel with the luxuries of his private box, get him more interested in ladies’ MMA,” Mary narrated. “Convince him that if he does that, Adriel might not just treat the job as a one time contract, but a continuing partnership.”

“More interested in ladies’ MMA, what do you mean more interested in ladies’ MMA?” Beatrice asked. “You mean Adriel has already tried victimizing some of the girls?”

“There is one girl on Ava’s list,” Mary said. “Crimson. Your match is her first fight in years. She couldn’t get a job for a while because she refused Adriel’s propositions.”

Camila gasped and shared a look with Shannon.

“I can’t believe it, things are just getting more entangled,” Beatrice remarked.

“The thread of Adriel’s influence, it’s around us,” Mary replied.

“Well, it can’t be. Not anymore. We have to cut it,” Beatrice said. “Nip it at the bud.”

“That’s why we use Vicente’s thirst for it to our advantage,” Mary replied.

“But how do we convince the Padre? It’s not like I could just walk up to him and talk him into it,” Beatrice reasoned. “Lilith is there with Ava, she stayed behind. But I don’t know how to get a message to her. The Padre would have both of Ava’s and Lilith’s phones confiscated.

“We got that taken cared of,” Camila said.

There was a clueless look on the fighter's face, urging her friend to go on.

“Ava’s Kindle. I set up an email and an Amazon account for that device. The email is still logged in on my phone and Amazon sends me a notification whenever Ava downloads a book. She likes to download them one at a time. She was reading the Discworld series when she was in the camp. Ava just downloaded Snuff while you were outside.”

“Here’s the catch. Ava’s Kindle has a browser but it doesn’t work that well. But, downloading books from Amazon is not the only way to get content into a Kindle. You can also email documents to the device. Now that we know Ava still has access to her Kindle and to an internet connection, we can send them a message,” Camila continued.

“How fast does Ava read?” Mary asked.

“If she has no other thing to do, she can devour half a book in one afternoon,” Camila replied.

“I’m guessing there is not much for Ava to do in Vicente’s house except to wait,” Mary said and Beatrice nodded.

“Then we could expect her to download the next book in the series within two days at least, and when it loads, any document that we email to the Kindle will also sync to the device,” Camila replied. “But if she leaves the wifi turned on, the document will automatically sync even before she downloads her next book.”

“Okay. I’m sold,” Beatrice said. “I know it’s not foolproof, but there is no harm in trying it while we look for other ways to get a message to Lilith.”

“I’m with you on that, we won’t stop thinking of other means to get our message across, but Camila can already work on our plan A,” Mary said.

“I’m on it, I’m making a draft of instructions for Lilith for you to review,” Camila said, standing up from her chair and walking back to her bag on the living room couch.

“And you,” Shannon said, referring to the fighter. “Your only job now is to train. This match has to happen no matter our reason behind it. I know how you feel about still fighting, but the match must look real. You must do your best as a fighter to train and promote it, create hype around it. Make it a match worthy for Vicente to show off to Adriel. That is your job.”

“She’s right, Beatrice. We’ll take care of everything else,” Camila said, walking back to the dining room with her laptop. “I’ll start hyping the match all over your social media. And since you are already here, we are doing interviews. That way, Vicente will also not suspect about the reason why we had to leave the camp earlier than scheduled.”

“I, I...,” Beatrice tried to speak but she could not really think of a reasonable objection to continuing to fight. This was the best plan - the only plan - that they have, for now. And unless they could come up with something better, Shannon was right. Her only job now was to do her job. She was a fighter, still is, and until she is locked away behind bars, that she will be.

“I have nowhere to train. I want to be here where the action is, I can’t return to North Dakota.”

“I’ll handle that, I have some friends here, people we can trust. I’m going to find you a gym before the day ends,” Shannon replied, squeezing the fighter’s shoulder as she stood up to start making phone calls.

Beatrice looked at the scene around her - at Camila typing away a draft of their message to Lilith on her laptop, at Shannon reaching out to old acquaintances to find them somewhere to train, at Mary and Mother Superion huddled together probably thinking of a plan B or which colleague to involve from the FBI. Miles away, Lilith was also doing her part, staying behind and protecting Ava, and later, if Camila’s plan works, convincing Padre Vicente to bring the actress out and make the exchange during the fight.

Lilith and Camila always told her that she thought she knew the answer to everything, that she alone could fix what was wrong. She was never known to be a person to ask for help, but here were these women, nevertheless taking care of everything without her even having to plead.

Beatrice looked at her palms as her hands rested on the table. The ice in the bag has melted and the swelling around her knuckles has not yet subsided. The fighter always thought that she was an incomplete half, a shard in a fragment of two. But the lines on her palms branched to limitless directions, separating and rejoining, crossing and approximating.

She was not a half. She was a piece. She was not to be stitched only to one other person, but a thread to be woven in this fabric of women, their fibers intermingling to form the same cloth, unyielding and formidable. There was not a fraying edge in sight, not a girl left behind. Beatrice was no longer alone.

xxx

Ava looked at her palms as her hands rested on the table. Her kindle lay abandoned on her left, as she read from a picture book that was in front of her. Drops of tears started to fall on the glossy colorful pages, ruining the blonde of Cupid’s hair. The yellow ink ran down to the bottom of the page.

“No no no, please, no, no,” Ava whispered as she desperately tried to wipe the mess with the bottom of her shirt. She ended up erasing Cupid’s face altogether, its features melding into an unrecognizable brown palette.

Padre Vicente’s earlier threat of killing the fighter shook Ava to her core. The moment Lilith left the room with the man, the actress ran for the bookshelf, ran for the only remaining piece of Beatrice that was real. She needed to touch the book, needed to see the color on its pages, needed to run her hands on the same sheets that her neighbor’s fingers graced.

“No!” Ava cried into the crook of her elbow as she failed to salvage the mess. Not a tear fell from the actress’ eyes since Padre Vicente took her away from the camp. When she finally wailed, it was not for her sake, but for the fighter. This was Beatrice’ book, the story she carried her whole life, the one her neighbor thought bound her to the actress, and Ava has ruined a page.

The actress looked at Cupid’s face. There was no bringing back his eyes or that smile like there was no bringing back what they lost. Ava was not sure she understood everything, she has not even begun thinking about forgiving the fighter, neither did she know if she wanted to see her again.

Yet one thing she knew was true. She loved Beatrice. She loved her with that kind of love one carries in their heart for the rest of their days. A love meant to be felt through every bone, down every muscle, across every pore and eyelash and freckle. The actress’ entire body screamed for Beatrice. The fighter’s every atom formed Ava's every molecule. Beatrice was wrong. There was no thread between them. Rather, the fighter’s flesh was Ava’s own longing to unite with itself. Whenever she looks at her own hands, it was Beatrice’ fingers that she sees. Whenever she gazes at the mirror, it was the fighter who stares back.

It was the kind of love that hurt the most because it was not meant to be. Not in this life.

_Maybe the next._

The actress heard the door open behind her and she closed the book, picking her kindle up and pretending to be reading from it all along. Lilith has returned from wherever Padre Vicente took her.

“Ava, are you okay?” Lilith asked, approaching the actress. There was no use hiding it. She was sure that the tears that stained her cheeks were still visible and the redness of her eyes was obvious. Ava did not want to seem vulnerable before this woman she didn’t quite trust yet, but Lilith was right. She was the only one she had right now.

“Beatrice,” Ava said, speaking the name for the first time after a long while. “She’s in danger, right? We have to find a way to warn her. She can’t die, Lilith. I don’t know what I’ll do if she does.”

The actress’ voice was now frantic and the taller woman placed a warm hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

“Don’t worry, we have time. Padre wouldn’t harm her as long as she is still useful to him. I will find a way to get a message to her at least before the fight, okay?”

“Okay,” the actress replied, trying to convince herself that Lilith could follow through with what she said.

In Ava’s hand, the Kindle lit up. The device was syncing.

“That’s...not normal at all. I didn’t download anything new,” Ava said sharing a confused look with the taller woman.

The pair waited for the document to download. When it did, they stared at the cover page in confusion.

**For Lilith**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you tired of this story yet?


	13. The Thread Between Us

Lilith entered the office of her father without knocking just like Beatrice was welcome to do most of the time. Since she was Padre Vicente’s new right-hand woman, she figured that she would own the title. The man in question glanced up from where he was sitting behind his big oak desk, sipping the Bourbon that he refuses to have whenever he conducts business. He was out of his familiar black button-down shirt. Beside the shelf on his right, a vintage turntable that was a gift from his former congregation played a smooth saxophone tune.

“Lilith, there are no lessons scheduled at this hour,” Padre Vicente greeted the newcomer.

“I know. This is not about my lessons,” Lilith replied. “This is about applying them.”

“Do have a seat,” Padre Vicente said. He placed a glass in front of the girl and made to pour brown liquor in it.

“No, thank you, Padre. Lesson number one: always be sober when conducting business,” Lilith stated.

The Padre gave Lilith a smile that she has never seen on his face before, like he was proud of her. This emboldened the woman.

“So, this is business, then,” Padre Vicente said, putting the stopper back on the Bourbon’s crystal bottle.

“What do you plan to do with Ava now that you know her secret?” Lilith asked.

“Well, as planned, turn her over to Adriel,” Padre Vicente replied.

“I’m sorry, Padre, but why waste all of our work only to just be paid like a common laborer?” Lilith said.

“I’m not just turning Ava over to Adriel, I also have her secret,” Padre Vicente replied. “Beatrice said that secrets would help Adriel realize the worth of having a more permanent arrangement with me.”

Lilith scoffed at that answer.

“Careful,” the man warned.

“I’m sorry, Padre, it’s just that, why are you still taking advice from Beatrice? Was it not true that Beatrice did not want to do this job in the first place, that she was afraid to branch out because she was content with our current operations and she feared that expanding will expose our organization?” Lilith replied. “She might be a fighter, but she’s not that bold. It’s not Beatrice’ fault. She had no clue who she was so how could she be something else? But I’m not like her, Padre. I have my mother’s spirit in me. I’m not afraid to be more.”

Padre Vicente leaned against the leather backrest of his chair and regarded Lilith. “What do you have in mind?”

“The exchange should be done at the big fight. You entertain Adriel inside your private box with all the luxuries that he’s used to. Show him that the professional fighting arena is something worth looking into for his business and that there is already a person who has access and influence over the same. You,” Lilith replied. “That market has not been tapped yet. The list that Ava has given us are all actresses, singers, and models. It’s time to involve athletes.”

“Are you serious, exchange our captive in a public place?” Padre Vicente said.

“Padre, you own one of the teams that are fighting that night. You have a private box, access to the entrance, exits, and hallways that the normal audience would not have, plus all the security that you might want. Besides, Ava has not given us trouble yet, has she? She’s not stupid. She just wants to go home. You see how she does not want to be involved in this at all,” Lilith reasoned.

The man gazed at the ceiling to mull over the idea. It took a while before he faced Lilith again.

“Say that I’m with you in entertaining Adriel in my private box. Why would I need to do the exchange there? I could just bring Ava to him in a secluded place just as planned and also invite him to watch the match,” Padre Vicente hypothesized.

“Do you think he’d still be interested in coming to the fight if he already has Ava? He’ll just consider this a job well done and then forget about this transaction. Adriel will come to you because you have something he wants,” Lilith replied. “You still have Ava, don’t waste her. We should really start thinking outside the confines of our current operations. Ava is not just a cargo to be moved. She is a pawn, make use of her while you still can.”

“Okay, I’m sold. I’ll send a word to Adriel. I guess Ava’s staying in your room for another ten days,” Padre Vicente replied.

“We all have to make sacrifices,” Lilith declared, rolling her eyes. The gesture made the man smile.

“Why are you doing this, Lilith?,” Padre Vicente asked, suddenly turning serious.

“Doing what?” Lilith returned.

“Going above and beyond? Finding out Ava’s secret on your own, thinking of ways to expand our business? I did not ask these of you. All I required was for you to learn the goings-on of our operations,” the man said.

“I wanted to show you that I’m not just a replacement for Beatrice. That I should have been what she was to you all those years ago,” Lilith replied.

“Well, continue doing what you’re doing and you’ll certainly make me see,” Padre Vicente said. “Now, off you go. I need to inform Adriel that the exchange is not happening tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Padre,” Lilith replied while she stood up. A smile formed on her lips as soon as she turned away from her father.

xxx

“So, this is the location of Vicente’s private box?” Mary asked as she pointed at a spot on Camila’s rough sketch. The women were gathered around the dining table of Mary’s apartment, passing slices of pizza around, except for Beatrice who was still on a strict diet and was not allowed to have any. It was the morning after, and the fighter has just taken a shower. Her still-wet hair soaked the shoulder area of her shirt as she tried to work Mary’s espresso machine.

“Yes, I recreated Lilith’s specs, although I’ll take a picture of this sketch and email it to the Kindle so Lilith could confirm,” Camila replied as she took a bite of her artichoke pizza.

“How was Lilith able to communicate all of that to you?” Mother Superion asked as she settled down on the seat next to Camila.

“Oh, it was Ava’s idea. She highlights portions of her book to form a message, and the highlights sync here in the Kindle app on my phone because I’m using her account,” Camila replied with a huge grin, showing her phone’s screen to the former nun.

“You mean we could talk to them now? Wow, I never thought I’d say this about Ava, but that’s pretty fucking genius,” Mary said.

“Ava is a very smart girl, she just likes to treat everything as a joke because that’s her defense mechanism,” Beatrice retorted from behind Mary.

“Alright, lover girl, no one is disparaging your girlfriend,” Mary replied.

“She’s not my -” the fighter said but did not continue, instead thrusting a steaming mug of coffee into Mary’s hand.

“Ow! That was hot!” Mary replied, quickly placing the mug on the table on reflex.

“Sorry,” Beatrice replied. Mother Superion shot the former agent a look that told her not to push the fighter further and Camila cleared her throat.

“Anyway, there would be private bathrooms on this floor, that’s where we isolate Ava,” Camila said, pointing to an area in her sketch.

“Still, it’s better to do an ocular inspection of the place to see the correct dimensions, the distances between doors, how big the windows are,” Mary replied.

“I’d come with you if I could, I still have to meet with the network for the ceremonial weigh-in,” Camila said, sighing.

“I can come with Mary. I usually go and take a feel of the arena before the fight anyway, but it has to be quick. I managed to book us training hours at my friend’s gym and it’s an hour’s drive away,” Shannon said.

“That’s fine, Shannon. I’ll go with Mary,” Mother Superion suggested.

“No, Superion. You’re still with the FBI. If anyone sees you inspecting the arena, Adriel might have a hint that we’re making a move. I’ll take Shannon. We don’t have to do it today, anyway,” Mary said.

Camila sighed. “If only we could involve more people. We’re spread too thin in between formulating this plan, hyping up the fight, and training.”

“We know, Camila, but we must do our best with the situation we’ve been given,” Shannon answered.

“The problem now is creating a distraction. The fight might do that for Padre, but now that we have also brought Adriel to the picture, he might not care about the results of the match if he notices that Ava is missing,” Beatrice said.

“Something Adriel cares about...,” Mary muttered to herself. The group stared at the former agent as she mulled over a brewing idea. “Camila, you’re not going to like this.”

“What is it?” Camila asked.

“Something Adriel cares about, the biggest distraction, something that will make sure Ava is safe not just on the day that we recover her but in the coming days as well,” Mary started. Everyone gave her a puzzled look, not quite sure what she was talking about, except Beatrice who was already nodding her head. “We expose Adriel during the fight just as when the match is over. We take advantage of the audience we have, get the women on Ava’s list to speak up, and accuse Adriel. That will provide the ultimate distraction as we take Ava. That will also pressure the US attorney to press charges. As the situation stands now, even if we get Ava to safety on that day, we cannot guarantee her continued protection if no charges are filed against Adriel. The US attorney will just bury the evidence that Ava has gathered. The only thing that will ensure her’s and all of the girls’ protection is Adriel and Vincent behind bars.”

“Okay, Mary, but how do we reach out to these women and get them to speak up? These are celebrities, it’s not like we can just ring their doors. I can’t use my badge this time either,” Mother Superion replied.

“Well, that’s the challenge. I can’t think of anything else right now,” Mary replied, deflated.

“May I see Ava’s list?” Camila said. The former agent rummaged through the pile of papers on the dining room table and handed Camila two sheets of paper stapled together. The girl went over the list, shaking her head upon seeing the names one by one.

“This last name on the list, it’s not typewritten. Did you add this in your handwriting?” Camila asked.

“Oh, yeah, Ava called me about her just a few days ago asking me to find out what I can. She did not get that name from her undercover activity. She said she knew this actress from when she was a child and witnessed first hand what happened to her,” Mary replied. “I was planning to track her down on the day that I quit my job.”

"So, that was why!" Camila explained, slapping the surface of the dining table in realization. "Remember, Bea? When we had that sleepover and binged Ava's sitcom, I told you the actress playing her eldest sister looked familiar, but I couldn't recognize the name when I Googled it. I hate my memory sometimes!"

There were still confused looks on everyone's faces so the girl continued.

“Blaire Kinney now goes by the name Stefani Hudson. I just recalled. She was a TA at my uni back when I was in college,” Camila said.

“You know her?” Mary asked. “Do you think she could help us with these names?”

“Well, she was pretty popular back in the day, and some of the names here were her contemporaries. Plus, she now runs a casting agency right here in L.A., I can’t believe her real name escaped me,” Camila replied.

“Well, do you think you can contact her?”

“I hope she did not change her number, we had not spoken in years,” Camila replied. “I just don’t know if she’d be willing to help. She changed her name and quit acting and all. Maybe she was trying to get away from what you said Ava witnessed.”

“Just try, Camila,” Beatrice said, placing a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Ava told me that when she last spoke to Blaire, she said she hoped she could repay Ava one day. This might be that day.”

“Okay, I’ll ask to meet with her and drop Ava’s name. I hope she’s in town,” Camila replied.

“Right, you do that, Camila,” Mother Superion ordered. “Mary and I will think of some other form of distraction just to cover all our bases.”

“And Beatrice and I will go train now. We’ll come back this evening with dinner,” Shannon said, gesturing for her athlete to get ready for their drive to the gym.

xxx

Beatrice had her mouth slightly open when she saw the training gym that Shannon managed to secure for her for the next following days. The space was small and dark, with a few worn-out punching bags lining the concrete walls and three boxing rings situated in the middle. The ventilation in the area was extremely poor, and the fighter realized that, at least, it was a good place to train her lung endurance. Two of the rings were occupied by pairs of men in their sparring headgear, throwing punches with their fists in boxing gloves. A two minute round was ongoing when they arrived. Beatrice realized that it was a boxing gym and not even a mixed martial arts facility.

“Sorry about this. I could have gotten us that swanky MMA place downtown but it’s too high profile. People will recognize you and flock to you. The patrons of this gym are like a close-knit family, they’ve already been notified of our presence and they won’t bother us,” Shannon said, guessing what was going through her fighter’s mind. “This will only be for a few days. Our team will arrive from North Dakota by the end of the week and we’d have a better training space.”

“This is perfect, coach. Just like the old times,” Beatrice replied, smiling. “I’ll miss everything,” she whispered.

“What was that?” Shannon asked, not really sure what she heard.

“Once we recover Ava from Padre Vicente, I am going to jail. Mary will make sure of that,” Beatrice said as a matter of fact. “I will miss everything. The training, the preparation before a fight, a place in the spotlight, people seeing me. So I’ll take anything that this world has to give and I’ll make the most of it.”

Shannon held her athlete’s hand, not really sure what to say. She wanted to tell Beatrice that everything would be okay, but she was afraid that was no longer a certainty. Beatrice squeezed the older woman’s hand back before taking a step away from her. The fighter faced her coach.

“It’s been an honor being your student, Coach Shannon,” Beatrice said and bowed before her teacher.

“It is my greatest honor to have taught you, Beatrice,” Shannon bowed back.

xxx

“How was it?” Ava stood up eagerly from where she was sitting by the study table to approach Lilith who just returned.

“It went well. He said yes,” Lilith responded.

“Did you do everything as we practiced, appeared stoic, mentioned what you think was Beatrice’ weakness?” Ava asked, giddy at the success of the first acting workshop she conducted.

“Yes, yes, and more. I had to ad-lib some of my responses but he took my word for it, he even praised me for being enterprising. I’ve never heard such agreeable words from him,” Lilith replied.

“Hell yeah!” Ava said in glee. “Now, we just have to inform Camila that that part of the plan went well.”

The actress picked her Kindle up from the desk began looking for phrases to highlight in order to form her message.

“Ava,” Lilith started from behind the actress.

“Yeah?” Ava replied without looking up from her device.

“I like this,” the taller woman replied.

“Like what?” the actress asked, finally meeting the other woman’s gaze.

“Being part of a plan,” Lilith replied, smiling sincerely at the actress for the first time.

xxx

“I do not say this that often, Mary, but I like your plan. I can foresee that getting these celebrities to talk, even just a few women from Ava’s list, could produce a snowball effect and put a lot of pressure on the US attorney to file a case against Adriel, all while providing a great distraction for when we retrieve Ava. It’s like shooting two birds with one stone,” Mother Superion said. “I would hate it if such a plan proves unrealistic for us to accomplish.”

“Are you ready for when this backfires? If we’re not successful and Ferguson knows of your involvement, he will be out to get your neck,” Mary replied.

“Mary, I already quit this job once,” Mother Superion replied. “I told you, I will do whatever it takes to protect the girls. All of them.”

Beatrice and Shannon left to train about two hours ago and Mary and her former boss were huddled together in the dining room, going over the list of agents within their department who they think they could trust. The former agent suggested involving the local cops instead since they were not part of the investigation. Mother Superion was averse to the idea, not wanting to include any more outsiders than they already have. Camila came striding into the living room with a big grin on her face just as the two were arguing.

“What is it?” Mary asked the girl. Camila did not speak but continued to grin, her smile so wide that the former agent was afraid it would break her face.

“No way? No way!” Mary said disbelievingly, standing up to grab the shorter woman by the shoulders. “She said yes?”

Camila nodded. “She’s in San Diego right now but she actually just hopped in her car to drive over here when she heard Ava is in trouble. She cleared her calendar for the next two weeks, said there was nothing more important than Ava. She might arrive in time for lunch.”

“Goddamnit, now I gotta clean the house up, I should have moved into a bigger apartment when I had the chance,” Mary said.

“Great job, Camila. You’re really good at this, connecting with people,” Mother Superion remarked.

“Well, that’s kind of my job,” Camila replied, still looking too proud of herself. “If Ava finds out that her friend has jumped to her rescue after all these years-"

“No, we can’t tell them that. We only tell them what they need to know or a part of the plan that we need them to execute,” Mary said. “If Vicente somehow gets a hold of that Kindle, it’s over.”

“Well, the documents are deleted as soon as they’ve read them,” Camila said. “But you’re right, we can’t be too careful.”

“Where’s my Hermana?” a boy’s tiny voice echoed from the living room.

“Oh, hey Diego, good morning,” Camila said, approaching the boy. She knelt down in front of him to meet his eyes. “I am Camila, remember? Beatrice’ friend. She just had to go outside to train for the match.”

“You mean she’s fighting again?” the boy said, his eyes lighting up.

“Yes, she’s fighting at the end of the month, isn’t that exciting?” Camila replied. “Are you hungry?”

“Kind of, that’s why I woke up, my tummy is hurting,” Diego responded.

“Well, we have cereal or cereal, which one would it be?” Mary asked. Camila shot the former agent a look of disbelief.

“We can order in, I’ll get Uber Eats. What do you want, Diego?” Camila asked the boy.

“You do that, Camila. Mary, you’re in charge here. I have to show my face to the office or Ferguson might get suspicious,” Mother Superion said. “I’ll see you all after work.”

xxx

The woman went over the list with the careful scrutiny of an editor poring over the mistakes and errors of a voluminous text. Although the document she was inspecting was only two pages long, she took her time reading each name, ruminating and mulling over an entry, before she moved on.

Camila placed a plate with a slice of pizza next to the woman. Mary could not believe that the girl was feeding the visitor with leftovers and she decided she would gather the confidence to ask the newcomer what she wanted to order in for lunch. When Blaire Kinney arrived an hour ago, the woman was in her business attire, an all-white suit, a Prada handbag in hand, a pair of black Jimmy Choos, and her long dirty brown hair in a ponytail. Mary did not think that the floor of her two-bedroom apartment had ever tasted such luxury. Now, the former actress’ expensive-looking cape blazer was hanging on the agent’s coat hanger which she bought from a thrift store, and she was sitting in the cramped dining room being offered leftovers.

It’s not that she was not used to celebrities. She has lived in L.A. for less than ten years that she has learned not to care. It was not even that Blaire Kinney was intimidating. She looked just like an older, more mature version of Ava, a version of Ava that knew what was going on in her life. The resemblance was uncanny that it reminded the former agent why the two were cast as sisters for their sitcom many years ago. It’s just that Mary has always been insecure about her living situation, and having a former actress sit in her cramped dining room did not do well to boost her confidence.

“This is everyone, all the names Ava has managed to collect when she was shadowing Adriel?” Blaire asked, looking up from the document.

“Yes, Stef - uh - Blaire,” Camila corrected herself.

“That girl. When we were written off our show, she was advised never to stick her nose again in things that were not her business. Looks like she has not learned,” Blaire said. “I wish I had been that brave.”

“So, you’ll help us?” Mary said, finally gaining the courage to speak before this newcomer.

“Of course,” Blaire replied. “My whole life, I’ve been waiting for a chance to repay Ava.”

“What exactly did she do for you, Stef?” Camila asked.

“Let’s just say she was the only one who believed me, the only person who tried to fight for me even when she was just a child. And that cost her her career,” Blaire narrated. “It’s not that I just decided to quit acting. I could not get a job for a while after...after what happened. So I changed my name and decided to go to university instead, and that’s where I met Camila. I started my casting agency about five years ago. I wanted to help actresses get jobs for their sheer talent and hard work, not just because they were propositioned by some big boss. I had to help a number of them get jobs after they couldn’t find any because they turned down an executive making an advance, or they decided to tell someone. Everything I’m doing now is my way of honoring what Ava did for me. I’m lucky that I am getting this chance to repay her directly.”

“So, what do we do?” Mary asked.

“Half of the names in this list are already in my phone’s contacts,” Blaire replied. “But we do not need that many people to come forward at first. Five to seven big names is a good number. We cannot involve too many before we launch this project, just enough to make sure we keep a lid on it.”

“This project?” Mary asked, having no idea what the visitor was talking about.

“What did you think? We just accuse Adriel on live television as soon as the match is over? Mary, this is 2020. In order to take full advantage of the momentum, this has to be a full social media campaign,” Blaire replied. “It’s not my line of expertise, We need a social media manager.”

“Can you run it, Camila?” Mary asked the other woman.

“I’m not an expert either. I only run Bea’s social media because I’m the only person well versed enough in our team to do it,” Camila replied.

“I can suggest some names,” Blaire said, finally feeling her hunger and taking a bite of the pizza beside her.

“No. Just like you said, we need to keep a lid on this project. It has to be someone we already know,” Mary replied.

“Well, does Ava have a social media manager? Many celebrities do,” Blaire suggested.

“She mentioned it to me one time, I can’t recall her full name. Chanel?” Camila replied.

“Chanel?” Blaire confirmed as she tried to rack her brains for any recollection of that name. “Tall girl, bandana-wearing, matching cape blazers Chanel?”

“No idea. Ava showed me her Instagram page once. Maybe if I see a picture I’ll recognize her,” Camila said.

“One sec,” Blaire responded. She fished her phone out of her Prada handbag and pulled up her contacts to show Camila a photo on the screen.

“Yup, that’s her!” Camila confirmed it.

“And she and Ava are close?” Mary asked.

“Pretty close, I think. Ava said Chanel was her only girlfriend in L.A.,” Camila replied.

“Great, just great. I’ve worked with Chanel before, she’s good at this sort of thing,” Blair replied. “Calling her right now.”

The former actress stood up with her phone to her ear and walked to the living room.

“Chanel, darling, kisses...,” both Mary and Camila heard Blaire speak over the receiver of her phone.

“Are we seriously bringing in one more person in my matchbox of an apartment?” Mary whispered to Camila.

The other girl shrugged. “What do you want to do, check-in at a hotel, AirBnB? We got a kid upstairs, we can’t just move around. Besides, we have to stick together, it’s safer that way,” Camila replied. “We all came here to help Ava, not for first-class accommodations.”

“Touché,” Mary replied. “By the way, why were you feeding Blaire Kinney our leftovers? We should have ordered in.”

“Oh, that? She’s not picky. Stef is pretty cool, that’s no big deal,” Camila replied. The girl tried to get some work done, updating Beatrice’ social media while they waited for Blaire to finish her phone call. About five minutes later, the former actress returned to the living room.

“She’s coming here after work,” Blaire said as she walked back to the dining table. “I did not tell her anything, just something vaguely about Ava. I don’t know what I could or could not divulge. You better tell her yourself about the situation.”

“Alright, that’s great,” Mary replied. “Looks like this place will be packed later. Mother Superion, Beatrice, and Shannon are all coming back at that time.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Blaire started. “This Beatrice you keep mentioning, how was she involved in this? I only know that you are using her fight to bring Ava out of where she is being kept and as the platform for our project.”

Mary and Camila shared a look and it was the former agent who replied. “We told you everything you need to know. We apologize if we cannot say more.”

“That’s fine, I totally understand,” Blaire said, flashing Mary a grin that was not unlike Ava’s. “Well, while we wait, I’m going to start reaching out to the names on the list. I might need to leave at some point to meet people but I’ll be here when Chanel arrives.”

xxx

When Chanel arrived, Mary thought that she would lose her mind. She stepped inside the living room looking like she was inspecting the surfaces for dust. The newcomer towered over everyone in the room, wearing the infamous bandana on her head that matched her blazer. Mary wondered where the girl shopped for clothes. She greeted Blaire with a kiss on each cheek.

“So glad you could make it, Chanel. These are Mary and Camila, both friends of Ava’s as well,” Blaire said, introducing the pair to the tall woman.

“Ciao,” Chanel greeted them, extending her hand to Mary with her palm turned down as if she was expecting the former agent to kiss it. Mary did not know what to do with it so she shook it like a bell. Camila did the same.

“So...,” Chanel started, inviting herself to sit on the couch and motioning for the others to join her. “Ava has been MIA on me for the past few weeks. Care to tell me what this is about?”

It was Blaire who sat down beside the newcomer, “I don’t know how to couch this in less shocking terms but Ava Silva has been kidnapped.”

“What?!” Chanel exclaimed, the color draining from her face. “Why are you calling a social media manager then? Shouldn’t we go to the cops?”

“We can’t, not yet. We don’t know who to trust,” Camila replied. “But if it helps, Mary here is from the FBI.”

‘Formerly,’ Mary thought but knew it was wise to keep that detail from the newcomer for now.

“Ava has been gathering evidence for us - for the FBI - for months on the activities of Adriel Alonso. He was under surveillance for suspicions of sex trafficking. The victims are the ladies in Hollywood, mostly actresses, singers, and models,” Mary began. “Adriel might have sensed what Ava was doing and had her kidnapped. Worse, we suspect that the US attorney is currently on his payroll. He is refusing to press charges despite the mountain of evidence that Ava has gathered.”

“Adriel? Oh, that fucker. He tried it with me when I met him one time at an awards show after-party,” Chanel replied. “I thought it was a one-time thing, I did not know it was a whole operation? I never told anyone else, I was afraid I would sound ridiculous.”

“That’s why it’s important to get some of the names on Ava’s list to speak up. If we are able to secure big names, the effect would snowball. The other victims would find the courage to speak up as well,” Blaire replied.

“Ava’s kidnappers, they are going to hand Ava over to Adriel at a UFC fight that’s happening at the end of the month. We are going to use the fight as a platform for the victims,” Mary continued. “And we are going to use the commotion over that as a distraction to recover Ava.”

“Fight? What fight? Beatrice “The Beast” versus Crimson “The Blood”?” Chanel asked. “Because I have tickets to that one and that’s at the end of the month.”

“You do? I didn’t take you for a fan of the sport,” Mary replied, disbelieving her ears.

“That’s the reason you don’t take anyone for anything without knowing them first, gorgeous,” Chanel replied. “So, you want to use the UFC as a platform, did you ever think they might sue?”

“We did, but who are they going to sue, really? The victims? Not a good look for them,” Blaire responded.

“Fair,” Chanel said. “So what do you have in mind?”

“Well, I was thinking of starting a petition, get a couple of signatures...,” Mary began but stopped when she saw the look of astonishment on Chanel’s face.

“A petition? Excuse me, honey, but we are not lobbying for the local council to put a stop sign around the corner of your street - which, they should consider doing, by the way, the cars turning around that corner are pretty fucking fast for a residential area - I digress,” Chanel said, waving her hands around. “Where are we with hashtags?”

“Hashtags?” Mary replied.

“Oh, god, you haven’t even begun thinking about hashtags? You want the victims’ statements to have a snowball effect, you have to let people find you. You do that with hashtags.”

Everyone in the room gazed at the newcomer with a look of expectation. “Well, you’re the expert so, by all means,” Mary said.

“Give me sixty seconds,” Chanel said, holding two hands up. She closed her eyes and looked like she was in a trance for what Mary estimated was exactly an entire minute until she shot up from her seat much to Camila’s surprise.

“I’ve got it!” Chanel declared, looking inspired as she began pacing around the living room.

“One of the victims will start a thread on Twitter highlighting their accusations. In that tweet is a video of them narrating their story, she passes on the thread to the next person who will reply to the tweet with their own story to continue the thread and so on and so forth. Hashtag PassTheThread. That way, we encourage other victims, even the ordinary people, to come forward with their own stories, adding to that thread and passing it on to the next. If the hashtag trends and people click on it, they will find out that we actually share a common experience between us and that we are not alone,” Chanel said in one breath. Camila and Blaire shared a look of excitement. Even Mary seemed impressed.

“But not just that,” Chanel continued. “We need to make everyone feel that we are not just a bunch of people replying to a thread on Twitter. We are actually a movement and this is only the beginning. I’m thinking of a professional blog, write-ups of the victims' stories, black and white photos professionally shot. And we stop referring to them as victims. They are survivors.”

“That will send a message,” Chanel said, finally sitting down. “We are not only after canceling the perpetrators. We are after justice. That would put pressure on your US attorney.”

“Well, great! I don’t know what to say, I’m on board,” Blaire replied. “Mary?”

“I’m all for everything that you mentioned, except for the blog part. Who is going to build the website and take photos of the survivors? We kind of involved more people than is actually advisable,” Mary replied.

“Oh, that’s easy,” Chanel said, dismissing the former agent’s concern with her hand. “It’s not that difficult nowadays. It’s just a simple blog. We’ll purchase an account at Wix or one of those platforms.”

“And what of the photographer?” Mary prodded.

“Uh, are you seriously asking me that question?” Chanel asked, half chuckling.

“Yeah, I believe I was,” Mary replied, a little too impatiently that Camila placed a hand on her arm.

“Ava’s boyfriend is a photographer. That should be the least of your concerns,” Chanel replied then looked around. “Which reminds me, where the hell is JC? Isn’t he involved in all this planning?”

Mary stared at Camila, urging her to reply to the question.

“Umm, JC is kind of out of the picture,” Camila said. “Ava broke up with him the other day. It’s a really long story, one that we don’t need to know right now.”

“How long ago? Because I just posted an old photo of them on Ava’s Instagram...,” Chanel ruminated on the information. “It’s not my fault I cannot keep up, Ava has really been MIA lately. Was it a bad breakup?”

“At first, but once JC was able to accept it, they separated on good terms,” Camila said.

“Well, then, JC’s still your best bet. I’m friends with the guy, he’d want to help Ava,” Chanel replied.

xxx

When Beatrice and Shannon arrived at Mary’s apartment that evening with Thai takeout, the place was packed. The former agent, Camila, and Mother Superion were on the couch going through stacks of paper.

“You must be Beatrice,” said a woman just walking out of the dining room. She looked vaguely like Ava that the fighter’s heart jumped out of her chest. Upon closer inspection, Beatrice recognized who it was.

“Michelle? I, I mean...,” the fighter said, grappling for the name as she shook the woman’s hand. The older woman laughed that familiar TV laughter that brought butterflies to the fighter’s stomach.

“Blaire Kinney, or Camila here knew me as Stefani Hudson,” Blaire replied. “I take it you were a fan of the show? You still remembered my character’s name after a decade.”

“Yes, yes! Big fan!” Beatrice replied, now shaking the former actress' hand more eagerly with two of her own. “What’s happening? Why are you here?”

“There you two are,” Camila said, getting up from the couch and approaching her friends. “You have a lot of catching up to do. We cooked up something really big.”

“How’s Diego?” Beatrice asked.

“He’s a great kid. Already beat all of my top scores in half of the games I own,” Mary replied.

Camila took the fighter and her coach to the dining room. Mother Superion and Mary gave Beatrice a nod as she passed them by. Sitting by the dining table were a man and a woman who were arguing with each other.

“I say we go for colored photos. You said it yourself, these women are survivors, we do not want to brand them as victims. Black and white photos are depressing,” the man said. His muscled arms were almost popping out of his white collared shirt and his olive skin and the mole on his face were all too familiar to Beatrice.

“Really, Camila, no warning? You could have texted me,” the fighter whispered to her friend’s ear.

“Sorry, we’ve been really busy, your romantic escapades are the least of my concerns,” Camila whispered back.

“Not that I’m worried at all about that considering the circumstances, but you could have given me time to prepare,” Beatrice shot back.

“Do not tell them how you got involved. Myself, Shannon, Mary, and Mother Superion are the only ones who know. They only think we are using your fight as our platform,” Camila reminded her friend.

“No, black and white photos look sleek, more professional, says that this movement is organized rather than some vigilante propaganda,” Chanel replied.

“I can still evoke all of those emotions with colored photos, clearly, you haven’t seen my work,” the man bit back.

“He’s right, he’s one of the best,” Beatrice spoke for the first time. The man looked up from the table when he heard the voice. The expression on his face was unreadable.

“There might be a compromise. How about black and white photos and colored videos?” Camila suggested.

“Beatrice! So glad to finally meet you! I have tickets to your fight,” Chanel stood up and greeted the fighter excitedly with kisses on each cheek. “Wow, you’re really tiny in person. And Crimson is what, a six-footer?”

“Five feet and eleven inches,” it was Shannon who replied.

“Uh, Coach Shannon, Beatrice, this is Chanel, Ava’s social media manager, and JC, Ava’s uh,” Camila said, struggling to find a word in order to not appear insensitive.

“Beatrice knows what I am to Ava now, doesn’t she?,” JC said bitterly from where he was sitting.

“Hi, JC,” was all Beatrice could reply.

“Ehem,” Camila cleared her throat. The tension in the room was too thick but the social media manager was oblivious to the increase in viscosity of the air. “Chanel, care to tell Beatrice and Shannon what we’ve planned so far?”

“Come here, darlings, you’re in for a ride on Express Chanel,” the tall woman obliged, taking both girls by their hands to sit them by the dining table.

xxx

“It’s a great plan,” Beatrice said once Chanel has served the newcomers with all the details.

“Of course, it’s great, I masterminded it,” Chanel replied.

“If we can execute it at all? There are just too many factors to consider, too many variables,” Beatrice replied. “Too many things could go wrong.”

“And only two things need to be right. We need to get Ava and we put pressure on the US attorney,” it was Blaire who replied. The entire team has gathered around the table by the end of Chanel’s narration of the plan.

“Oh, don’t be a party poop, honey, we’re trying to cover all bases and we are able to communicate perfectly with Ava from the other side,” Chanel replied, looking offended.

“Well, where are we on the names on Ava’s list?” Beatrice asked.

“Three people have already said yes to me, and I’m meeting two more tomorrow,” Blaire replied.

“I’m also meeting people tomorrow. Some of those on Ava’s list are also my clients,” Chanel added.

“And we’re gunning for...?, Beatrice asked.

“At least ten, initially. Ten big names,” Chanel replied. “And then we wait for the movement to gain momentum.”

“You think we can get those names?” Beatrice asked, uncertainty lacing her voice.

“I’m positive,” Blaire replied.

“Okay, I have nothing else left to add,” Beatrice said.

“We’re not asking for your opinion, Beatrice, just telling you your place in this plan,” JC remarked, shooting the fighter a dark look.

“JC, I believe this is a team effort,” Chanel replied. The girl was sandwiched in between the photographer and the fighter. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on in between you two but don’t think I did not notice you throwing dagger looks at one another ever since Beatrice walked into this room. Whatever that is, you need to take it outside. You’re messing up with my energy, I’m on a roll here.”

“Right,” JC said, standing up. “Beatrice, will you please?” the man said, gesturing to the door.

“Of course,” Beatrice said, standing up as well to follow JC outside the apartment. Camila shared worried looks with Shannon and Mary as Chanel huffed in her seat.

“What is with those two? I did not even think they knew each other,” Chanel remarked as they watched the pair disappear behind the front door.

“JC shot Beatrice for Sports Illustrated late last year,” Camila replied.

“And so? What’s with all the animosity, I know that Ava broke up with JC when she was in Beatrice’ training camp? I still don’t get it, I...I...,” her rambling was interrupted by a sudden realization. “Oh. _OH_. Oh, Ava, I never thought she had it in her.”

Mary rolled her eyes. “Whatever is going on with those three, it’s none of our business. We already have a very complicated plan to execute to even think about their complicated relationship.”

“Of course,” Chanel said. “Where were we?”

“I think it’s cabin fever. This apartment is too small to house this growing team,” Mary remarked to the nearest person beside her. It was Blaire.

“I’ve been thinking about it ever since Chanel arrived,” Blaire replied. “Mind moving our operations to my home?”

xxx

“Beatrice, I...,” JC started, facing the fighter as soon as he heard the sound of Mary’s front door shutting. “I want to apologize for how I’ve been acting. That was not fair. Ava told me nothing happened between you two while we were still together and I believe her.”

“None of that matters anymore, JC. I lost Ava, I lost her. It’s all my fault,” Beatrice replied with sadness in her voice.

“Hey, don’t go blaming yourself. How could you have known that they are going to take Ava from your training camp? Even if you did, how could you have protected her? Don’t get me wrong. You are a great fighter, one of the best, but from what I’ve heard, the men who took her were armed,” JC replied.

Beatrice looked at him in earnest. This was the man that Ava loved and had been in a relationship with for three years and he could not have been more wrong. Everything was the fighter’s fault. Of course, she could have protected Ava, if only she had stayed away, if only she had never met her, if only Ava had come back to California with this man who does not seem half bad at all.

“I love Ava, I still do. But I guess the only correct way of loving her now would be to let go of her and that’s what I’m still trying to learn,” JC continued.

Beatrice simply smiled at the photographer in return and bit back what she really wanted to say.

‘You and me, both, JC,’ she thought. ‘You and me both.’

xxx

Beatrice and Shannon trained for the rest of the week. The fighter appreciated her coach’s efforts in locating a usable gym, but the sparring partners she was able to convince to go against Beatrice were not a match for her skills. She looked forward to the end of the week when her entire team would fly back from North Dakota to the state of the art mixed martial arts gym that Padre Vicente booked for her to use during the days that lead up to the match. In between training sessions, Beatrice sat in for interviews in whatever minor network that would have her and that Camila managed to book, all to show Padre Vicente that she went back to California for a reason.

Everyone else was busy as well. Blaire and Chanel met up with some of the women on Ava’s list. Although the social media manager was able to add two more to the former actress’ three, the actresses that Blaire was able to convince to speak up proved to be low hanging fruits and they were still five people short of their initial goal of ten. JC tried to work with who they had, shooting the actresses and models in secret in the studio he opened as a partner when he thought that getting a more steady job would help rebuild his relationship with Ava. JC and Chanel settled for a compromise that was Camila’s suggestion. Black and white photos of the survivors on the main page of the blog and a video of them recounting their stories in color.

Chanel worked with Camila on the write-ups of the survivors as well as the details of the social media campaign plan. Beatrice’ manager multitasked that with meetings with the network and the UFC in preparation for the pre-fight and weigh-in press conference.

Mary visited the fight arena several times with Shannon, wanting to see Camila’s sketches in the flesh. She saw Vicente’s private box herself, as well as the entire floor that was closed off to ordinary ticket holders during events. Mary took pictures and reported the specifications back to her former boss. Mother Superion managed to get three other FBI agents she trusted the most onboard the plan in secret.

The website was almost finished by the end of the week, only lacking the pictures and videos of the other names Blaire still hoped to secure. It was JC, who took some units in design, who managed the overall look of the blog, all while taking pointers from an overzealous Chanel.

It was a rare evening when the entire team was present and together. That night, they congregated in the dining room of Blaire’s house, which was at least thrice the size of Mary’s. They moved their operations about four days ago in the gated village where Blaire Kinney lived. Shannon and Camila shared a room while Beatrice roomed with Diego. Mary slept on the couch, not wanting to bother the former actress any further while Chanel, JC, and Mother Superion all went back to their own apartments at the end of the day.

The long glass dining table housed eight chairs, but the team gathered at one end, all standing behind JC as they stared at the screen of his laptop.

“I like it, looks clean, professional,” Mary said. “What’s left to do?”

“I’m still editing some of the photos and videos that we have, but I believe Chanel and Camila are ready with the write-ups,” JC replied. “The only thing we could do now before I finish all the retouches I have to do and shoot the rest of the women Blaire has managed to convince is to think of a website name. We don’t have one yet.”

“How about...Stories of Survivors dot com,” Mary suggested.

“Oh honey, don’t make this sound like reality television, please,” Chanel replied. “It has to be something impactful. Something that defines the entire movement. Something that invites other survivors to step up with their own stories and help the campaign gain momentum.”

“Hence, Stories of Survivors dot com,” Mary pressed.

“I believe I shot down that ridiculous thought a moment ago,” Chanel bit back.

“Well, does anyone have a better idea?” Mary replied, glaring at the tall woman.

“I will survive?” someone said.

“Rein it in, Gloria Gaynor,” Chanel replied.

“Surviving Adriel?” another person suggested.

“We don’t have to use the word “survivor” you know? And we want this campaign to go big, we cannot limit it to just one perpetrator,” Chanel replied.

The other members of the team began throwing ideas around and it made the tall woman’s head ache. She realized she did not exactly have the competent social media team she wanted and she had to make do with the cards she’s been dealt with.

‘Why do I have to do everything around here?’ she thought. “Hold up! Give me sixty seconds,” Chanel said, shooting up from her seat beside JC.

“There she goes again,” Mary said, rolling her eyes. The taller girl held both hands up and closed her eyes as if in a trance the way that Mary has seen several times before she comes up with a great idea. The former agent counted down to the sixty seconds of peace that Chanel asked for.

‘Seven...Six...Five...Four...Three...Two...’

‘One.’

True enough.

“I’ve got it!” Chanel declared. “So we should not just be thinking about the website name but the name of the entire project, the whole campaign, which is both the Twitter thread and the blog,” Chanel replied. “We need a name that represents both.”

“This website, this is only meant to support the Twitter thread that we are launching, in case people want more information, right? We need something that will make other survivors feel included, show that this terrible thing that is happening is not limited to Hollywood,” Chanel continued. “It is an experience that is common to most of us, a shared secret, one that connects me, a simple but brilliant social media manager, to the Hollywood A-listers on Ava’s list. We need not just a name but a symbol to show our solidarity as well.”

“Yeah, we all know that,” Mary replied impatiently.

Instead of retorting, Chanel leaned beside JC and took the laptop from him, angling it so that the screen faced her directly. She began typing at the field for the blog’s name, clicking away at the keys excitedly with a smile on her face. When she was done, she pushed the computer’s screen towards the others so that they might see her masterpiece.

**http://TheThreadBetweenUs.com**

The team collectively gasped in agreement. The double entendre was not lost on each person - a Twitter thread between survivors and a thread of common experience that connects each person to the next. It was simple and perfect and something only Chanel’s mind could come up with. Even Mary had to agree that she squeezed the taller woman’s shoulder sincerely.

“So the tweets are already in the drafts,” Beatrice said and Blaire and Camila nodded, “and once we upload all the write-ups, photos, and videos, we are set to launch the project,” Beatrice recounted.

“Exactly,” Chanel replied.

“And it’s all up to me to win so that I could start this whole thing, announce this movement to everyone who is watching,” Beatrice said, more to herself than her companions.

“There must be another way, you can’t have everything hinged on me. All the hard work, all of our preparations, and our chance of saving Ava all depends on something that is not certain. I’ve been training hard but I’ve been admittedly distracted lately. I am the wrong person to push the first tile in this domino of events,” Beatrice blurted out.

“Beatrice, I’m sorry to tell you this, but you are the only person who can push that tile,” Mary said, leaning forward and placing a hand on the fighter’s shoulder. “You have to win.”

xxx

Beatrice watched from the sidelines as a tall, winnowy woman walked on stage to step on the ceremonial scale. Her long, curly blonde hair was let loose, and the woman was stripped down to her black underthings. She flexed her biceps as the lights from camera bulbs went off everywhere. The fight official read off the number on the scale and whispered it to the announcer.

The fighter’s team had arrived from North Dakota two days ago. It was refreshing to go up against Natalie Yco once more, who was her favorite sparring partner. The girl was closer to Crimson in height and fighting style and was, therefore, a perfect match for her. For once since she left the camp, and despite the real reason why she was still on board with the match pushing through, Beatrice felt like a real fighter.

“One hundred and twenty-four pounds for Crimson, the Blood!” Dana White exclaimed. That merited a smirk on the woman’s lips as she lifted her hand to point in her opponent's direction. The camera went to zoom in on the fighter’s face, itching to get her reaction. There was no emotion on Beatrice’ face, as usual.

“Next up, defending champion, Beatrice, the Beast!,” Dana White announced over the microphone.

“You’re up,” Shannon said, slapping her shoulder. Her coach escorted her up the stage and towards the scale where she stripped her pants and shirt. The fighter’s long hair was down and she was in her yellow sports bra and black yoga shorts. She made no show of displaying her muscles, instead choosing to look directly at the camera as the fight official read off the number on the scale.

“One hundred and nineteen pounds for the champion!” Dana White exclaimed.

‘Shit,’ Beatrice thought. She was trying to gain weight. She guessed the stress from all the planning made her lose a few pounds.

“Don’t worry about it,” Shannon whispered to her ear, knowing what was going through her mind. “I have time to beef you up.”

Just then, Crimson came charging towards the fighter on the stage and tried to throw a punch. Beatrice expertly dodged the blow and her opponent’s fist connected with the jaw of a bouncer. Dana White had to get in between the two, or in front of Crimson, at least. Beatrice was not retaliating.

“One hundred and nineteen pounds! I’m going to beat you into a pulp! You’re going to get it on Sunday!” Beatrice heard Crimson’s threats over the sound of a sea of camera shutters going off as her team tried to pull the taller woman away.

“You okay?” Shannon asked Beatrice.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m sure that was all for show,” Beatrice replied.

Each of the fighters finished a round of interviews before the ceremonial weigh-in ended. Beatrice was asked a lot whether she was worried to be coming into the fight at a much lower weight. She stated her standard answer: she has never won any of her matches because she was the stronger fighter. Coming in at one hundred and nineteen pounds is not a problem.

Camila, Shannon, and the rest of her team were waiting for her near the exit of the function hall after all the press activity was done. They all moved out of Blaire’s house and were staying in the hotel that Padre Vicente booked for the team.

Beatrice saw Crimson and her own team walk towards another exit, lingering by the double doors in order to throw her more nasty looks.

“You all go ahead, I’ll meet you at the hotel,” Beatrice told her team.

“Where are you going? You need to rest,” Shannon replied.

“I know, I won’t take a while. There’s something I have to do first,” Beatrice said.

Shannon and Camila nodded, and Beatrice watched her friends leave the function hall before she walked to the other exit.

“Hey,” Beatrice stated to Crimson who’s back was turned to her. The other fighter faced her with a menacing look in her eyes. At this distance, their height difference was obvious and Beatrice thought of how she could get past Crimson’s much longer reach come Sunday.

“Might I have a word?” Beatrice continued.

“And what are we going to talk about?,” Crimson asked, glaring at her opponent.

“I’d like to buy you a drink,” Beatrice replied.

Crimson’s team laughed. Even the other fighter gave off a tiny chuckle.

“I’ve heard rumors, Beatrice,” Crimson taunted her. “You are not my type.”

“I wouldn’t be coming to you if it’s not important,” Beatrice replied. The taller fighter waved her hand around, a signal for her team to give them some privacy. She only spoke when they were finally left alone. Crimson dropped her smirk and there was now an annoyed look on her face.

“What are you doing? Do you know what will happen if people see us outside and hanging out two days before the fight?” Crimson said.

“What, it would break your act?” Beatrice replied. “I know a place, a speakeasy just two blocks away from here. We could split up and meet there if you’re that concerned about keeping appearances.”

Crimson sighed. “You’re not going away, are you? Now, I’m intrigued. Come, get me that drink.”

xxx

Crimson was waiting by the bar when Beatrice went through the heavy wooden door of the speakeasy. It was a dark, cramped place with only one other table occupied. The walls of the establishment were cushioned just like the walls of a cinema and the speakers blared a soft jazz tune.

“You walk slow for a fighter,” Crimson chided. Her long, curly hair was now in a ponytail.

“You have longer strides,” Beatrice replied. “What are you having?”

“Whiskey, neat,” the taller woman addressed the bartender. “You?” Crimson asked her opponent.

“Nothing, I’m not allowed to partake before the fight,’ Beatrice replied.

“Ha! Me neither. I’m just going to look at it,” Crimson said as the bartender placed a glass of whiskey in front of her and left them alone. “I just wanted you to pay.”

Beatrice rolled her eyes and chuckled. “So, it was all really for show, huh?”

“What? Me being crass? I grew up in a poor, broken family, with five boys. I basically spent all of my childhood in the streets, even went to jail once,” Crimson narrated, “I did not exactly have the prim and proper upbringing that you had.”

“What makes you think I had a prim and proper upbringing?” Beatrice replied, swallowing a lump in her throat. The other girl could not be more wrong.

“Your actions? The way you speak and move?,” Crimson replied.

“Let’s leave it at that. This meeting is not about me,” Beatrice said.

“So, what is this really about?,” Crimson asked.

“The gap in your resume. This is your first fight in three years. You are still young, what happened?” Beatrice started, although she already knew the answer.

The playful smile on Crimson’s face was gone in an instant and her back straightened.

“What, you’re the HR now?” Crimson replied.

“I know what happened. You couldn’t get a job and I know why,” Beatrice said. She motioned for the bartender to give both of them a glass of water.

“Why ask me, then?” Crimson said, now staring into the bottles of spirits in front of her like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

“The FBI launched an investigation into a Hollywood executive named Adriel Alonso this year on suspicions of sex trafficking. A product of that investigation was a list of names of the women he has victimized. I saw yours in that list,” Beatrice continued.

“How are you involved in that? Were you on the list, too?” Crimson asked.

“No, and it’s a long story,” Beatrice said. “May I know what happened?”

Crimson drew a deep breath. She considered whether she should speak to this woman, her worst adversary. The taller woman figured there was no way out of this. Beatrice had her cornered, she already knew everything. “No one knows about this, not even my coach. When I couldn’t get my team a job in three years, I did not know what to tell them. They chucked it up to my nice attitude,” Crimson began. “Three years ago, I was cast in a movie. It was made for TV, nothing big. I was supposed to guest star as one of the villains. That was when he spotted me, that fuck face Adriel. I didn’t know who he was, I was not part of that world. He introduced himself to me in his hotel room, said he was a big deal in Hollywood. He said that he could get me more roles but there was a catch. He said he had a client who was very into playing submissive to tall, muscular women. Just like on cue, the client came out of the bathroom in just his robe. I know what he meant and I said I was not interested in getting more roles. I just wanted to fight. I didn’t know that saying no to him would cost me that as well.”

“What happened in the hotel room?” Beatrice asked.

“I got into a southpaw stance right away. I guess it was my fighter’s instincts. I was lucky that they seemed afraid of me and they let me leave without as much as a word. What if it had been someone less physically strong? Anyway, my promoter could not get me a fight after that,” Crimson continued. “Your team was the first one to agree. I guess it’s because although you are a champion, you are pretty new to this, and the prize money is not that huge.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” Beatrice said, taking a sip of her water.

“What do you really want from me?” Crimson asked, finally.

“The FBI shelved that investigation, they are not charging Adriel with anything even though the mountains of evidence were conclusive. We surmised that the US attorney is in Adriel’s payroll,” Beatrice replied.

“Of course, a man with his power,” Crimson remarked.

“We plan to put pressure on the US attorney. Some of the names on the list are going to speak up and accuse Adriel of all his wrongdoings. We are using the fight as a platform. If I win, I will start the entire movement, announce it to everyone who are watching around the world,” Beatrice began.

“And if you lose?” Crimson shook her head as she realized it and Beatrice nodded. "That’s why you need my help, you’re trying to cover all bases."

There was a moment of silence between them until the taller fighter spoke again.

“Beatrice, I’ve always been told that you were a master tactician. Why make battle plans that are somehow dependent on the will of your enemy?” Crimson asked.

“You are not my enemy, Crimson. Not in this battle,” Beatrice said. Crimson took another deep breath and few seconds before responding.

“So, if I win, and I will win, you want me to start this whole plan of yours?” Crimson confirmed.

“Yes, basically,” Beatrice replied.

“Alright. But I’m only doing it to get back to that fuck face. Not for you, nor for anyone else,” Crimson declared.

“That’s all we need,” Beatrice replied.

“And just so you know, I’m going to fight you with all that I have. No mercy. I expect the same from you,” Crimson dared.

“You really need a lesson in camaraderie,” Beatrice said, shaking her head and smiling.

“And you’re gonna teach it to me? We’ll see on Sunday,” Crimson replied with a smile of her own as she tipped her glass of water to Beatrice who raised the glass she was just sipping from in a toast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not to be obsessed but if you want to see the poster that I made for the fight that will happen in the next chapter, go to this [ link ](https://twitter.com/plssister/status/1316353170482720770?s=21)


	14. Whatever It Takes to Protect the Girls

Mary boarded the empty glass elevator and pressed the button for the thirty-ninth floor. It was an uneventful day. The website was almost finished. When the former agent left Blaire’s house just before lunch, Ava’s ex-boyfriend was already in the dining room, diligently uploading the remaining photos and videos that he shot for the project. All in all, they were able to gather twelve names, Blaire Kinney included. Twelve survivors would be accusing Adriel of sexual misconduct on Sunday night.

The house was empty save for JC and Diego. Superion, Blaire, and Chanel had to show their faces at their respective workplaces. Camila and Shannon were with Beatrice preparing for the ceremonial weigh-in that would take place later that night. And Mary, well, Mary had nowhere else to be. She was currently unemployed. She did not quite understand the codes that JC has been playing around with for the website no matter how much the boy tried to teach her, and Chanel would only let her help out with the design over her dead body. So the former agent grabbed a protein bar from Blaire’s pantry and bid JC goodbye. Now, the ex-agent was standing in front of the white marble reception of Baker and Porter, LLP with a thin Manila envelope in her coat pocket as a snooty looking receptionist eyed her.

“Good morning, how are you doing? How may I help you?” the receptionist said as she adjusted the black horn-rimmed glasses on her face. Mary noticed that some of her pink lipstick stuck on her front teeth.

“Great, just great. I’m here to see Jillian Salvius,” Mary replied.

“Jillian Salvius...the partner?” the receptionist said with a tone of skepticism. Mary eyed the nameplate pinned on her navy blue blazer.

**Deborah Fox**

She just might have a word with Jillian about that attitude.

“Yes. I have an appointment with her. You can confirm it with her secretary,” Mary replied, forcing a smile and reining in the impatience in her voice.

“One moment,” Deborah Fox said. She picked up the receiver of one of the white landline phones lined up on the reception counter and placed it against her ear. Her blonde curls bounced around the device.

“Hey, Sally, someone is here to see your boss,” the woman spoke over the receiver. “What was your name again?” she addressed the ex-agent.

“Mary,” she replied.

“It’s Mary,” the woman said once more over the phone. “Alright, I’ll ask her to be escorted in.”

“There’s no need for that, I can find my way,” Mary replied. She was through the double glass sliding doors of the office before Deborah could hang up the phone.

“I’m sorry about that,” a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and in an all-white garb greeted Mary, opening her arms wide for an embrace. The former agent was not much of a hugger, but this woman in front of her was one of the few she would carve out an exception for. “Deborah has had trouble with the partners previously for letting in a loiterer. She’s been strict with all visitors ever since.”

“I know, I know, she’s just doing her job,” Mary replied, rolling her eyes as she stepped out of the hug. The woman placed her hand against the crook of Mary’s elbow and led her into her office.

The former agent saw that her friend’s new space was a far cry from the one she had back at the women’s crisis non-profit she used to work for. In this law firm, Jillian Salvius had her own white leather couch, her own marble top coffee table, carpeted floors, a wide oak desk, the latest iMac, a personal secretary just outside the door, and a view of downtown L.A.

“Wow, Jillian, this is a long way from serving the marginalized and all that,” Mary remarked as she stepped around the office to admire it.

“Well, I wouldn’t have needed this job if my ex-husband was not insisting on sole custody of our son. I will never ever match even a quarter of what he makes over there at Davis and Davis if I stayed at the crisis center and well, I have to show the judge that I can provide Michael with the same home that that bastard can. Terence Baker was a former professor and I’m lucky that he offered me a partner position in this firm,” Jillian Salvius narrated as she sank into her leather executive chair motioning for Mary to take the seat in front of her.

The non-profit Jillian used to work for offered pro bono legal services to disenfranchised women wrongfully accused of crimes. Their organization stood as defense counsel during the trial of Mary’s mother. Jillian Salvius, who was a newly minted lawyer at the time, served as the assistant counsel tasked with preparing an eight-year-old Mary for the witness stand. Although they failed to secure her mother’s acquittal, Mary remained in touch with the lawyer throughout the years. It was Jillian who made sure that her next of kin, her mother’s sister, would gain custody of her. Until this day, the former agent credits Jillian Salvius with the fact that she got to grow up in a loving home.

“Do you like it here?” Mary asked as she settled down on the visitor's seat.

“Well, it serves my objective. I’m making more in a week here than I would be making in a year down at the crisis center. I just kind of miss doing work with a purpose,” Jillian replied, sighing. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Mary?”

The former agent fished out the thin Manila envelope she’s been protecting from inside the pocket of her coat.

“What is that?” Jillian eyed the document suspiciously.

“Purpose,” Mary replied, placing the envelope on the table in front of her friend.

xxx

Lilith sat down patiently at the visitor’s chair in front of Padre Vicente’s desk. She watched the man tinker with the combination of a safety deposit box that was hidden beneath the huge map of California covering the expanse of the wall. The woman was surprised when her father pulled down the rope beside the map, causing the colorful representation of the Golden State to roll up to the ceiling and revealing the safe that was hidden in plain sight.

“What are these, Padre?” Lilith asked as the man placed black binding folders before her one by one. The woman tried to open one and saw that the sheets of paper inside were carefully marked, each page meticulously classified with colorful tabs on the side.

“Records of every transaction with every partner, dead or alive, for the past twenty-five years of my career,” Padre Vicente replied.

“I, I thought criminals thrived on handshake deals?” Lilith asked, confused.

“Lilith, one more important thing that you must learn is that the human memory is not infallible. Considering the expanse of our business, it is important to keep records,” Padre Vicente replied. “Also, records are evidence. If you want to have power over your enemies, keep everything in writing.”

“But I thought they were your partners?” Lilith asked. Padre Vicente smiled.

“I’ve lived long enough to watch my friends turn into enemies. How do you think some of them ended up dead?” Padre Vicente replied. “Well, what are you waiting for? Review these documents and familiarize yourself with the names.”

The woman opened a random folder as Padre Vicente opened his MacBook, typing away at whatever business he was currently focusing on. It was a folder from 2018. The first page contained a detailed narrative of a transaction conducted in Texas, down to the names of the bodyguards that Padre Vicente took with him. Lilith saw that there was no mention of Beatrice. _Weird_. She remembered that trip. She and Beatrice were in a fight that she did not even pay mind to the fighter when she tried to kiss her goodbye.

Lilith flipped to the next page. It was an arms transaction in New Mexico. Again, Padre Vicente got the details jotted down right to the name of his bodyguards, but there was no mention of Beatrice. Lilith scanned the entire folder and then moved on to the next, skimming every transaction since Padre Vicente started taking the fighter on his trips. Not a word about her presence.

“Padre,” Lilith started. “You never mentioned Beatrice in these accounts.”

“Ah, excellent observation,” Padre Vicente replied, looking up from his computer’s screen. He sighed.

“Our world is still an all men’s world, I’m afraid. I take Beatrice on my business trips but never inside the meeting rooms. These partners, they treat the business like an all-boys club. They would never accept Beatrice as my right-hand man.”

“Don’t look at me like that,” the man responded upon seeing the expression of disbelief on Lilith’s face. “I do not ascribe to that belief system. Wasn’t I the one who picked up a little girl wandering around the edges of that park fifteen years ago? I had great dreams for Beatrice. She was smart, loyal. If only she could take over this business. But no. A woman will never be taken seriously in this world. You understand why I cannot just let Diego go like that. You and Beatrice are replaceable. He is my only hope.”

“I understand, Padre,” Lilith replied. “So, Adriel, he does not know about Beatrice, about our entire plan?”

“No. He gave me a wide leeway for my creativity,” Padre Vicente replied. “Also, he does not want to know. Plausible deniability. Why?”

“Nothing, just, when you said that I could replace Beatrice, you only meant it behind-the-scenes?” Lilith confirmed.

“I did not know what you expected, Lilith. I admire your ambition, but that’s just how the world is,” Padre Vicente replied.

xxx

“You’re telling me this person was kidnapped by a munitions crime ring when she got lost as a child, and now, she grew up to become involved not just in the business of said crime organization, but also, the kidnapping of a Hollywood actress?” Jillian Salvius summarized the contents of Mary’s envelope. She placed her head on her ringed fingers, massaging the headache away from her temples.

“Pretty much,” Mary replied. “So? What do you think?”

“You are expecting indictment for her involvement in the arms cartel, as well as the kidnapping,” Jillian said. “I am a Family Law partner in this firm, Mary. Even back at the crisis center, my background is in child protection and child placement, you know that. I’m not a criminal defense counsel. That’s what she needs.”

“You are exactly the person she needs, Jillian. This battle would not be fought in the criminal law arena. At the end of the day, this is the question of a child’s rights and a state that has failed to protect her,” Mary replied. “Trust me, this is your expertise. You’d be unbeatable.”

Jillian mulled over the idea. She has defended child offenders and juvenile delinquents occasionally. Most of the time, they came from similar backgrounds and experiences - unstable families, no steady support systems, and neglected by the state. But one could make the argument that Beatrice was an adult when she got involved with some of the crimes. Another voice in her head told her that the only reason the girl got involved at all was because that was how she was raised. It was the only life she knew. Being an adult was not an assurance of free will when to refuse to do the things that she did only guaranteed pain, if not for her, then her friends.Despite everything, this Beatrice is still trying to make things right, trying to save her friends, trying to thwart the plan. Could she really stretch the argument that far?

The lawyer went over the arguments back and forth in her mind. Finally, she turned to Mary and said, “Alright, I will defend her. But as you know, she will need to agree to be represented by me.”

“Thank you, Jillian. I owe you a lot. As if I do not already,” Mary replied. “Let’s talk to her tonight after the weigh-in.”

xxx

Mother Superion did not know exactly what she was expecting when she decided to tail Michael Ferguson that afternoon. Yet it was almost the end of the workweek and the plan to rescue Ava Silva and expose Adriel was already set in stone. Beatrice, Shannon, and Camila would be busy with the ceremonial weigh-in later that evening and she knew better than to meddle with Chanel and her plans for social media take over. Mary has been awfully quiet the entire day. Knowing her, the ex-agent was probably on some side mission of her own. With nothing better to do, the former nun decided to hop on her car and follow the US attorney’s SUV as he pulled out of the parking lot of the FBI.

They’ve been driving for at least an hour through Los Angeles traffic and Superion was beginning to question whether the task was worth the gas she has been burning when a few minutes later, Michael Ferguson took a right and pulled over into a two-story motel just situated by a side road. The former nun knew better than two to follow him immediately so she drove straight ahead, doubling back a few minutes later to park her car at the furthest edge of the motel’s parking lot. She stayed in her car for a while and saw the US attorney climb the stairs of the establishment. He stood before a door on the second floor before being let in by the person who was already inside.

She got out of her car and walked to the motel’s reception and was greeted by a blonde woman named Karen.

“Good afternoon, how are you doing? How may I help you?” Karen said cheerfully. Superion took out her badge from her coat pocket and showed it to the girl.

“That man in the black suit who just came by, does he have company?” Mother Superion asked.

“Uhhh, do you have a search warrant?” Karen replied, unsure. The former nun softened her features and kept her badge away.

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. I’m not on official FBI business. That man is my husband,” Mother Superion lied, “I’ve been following him around, wanting to confirm my suspicions. Help a girlfriend out?”

Karen’s interest was piqued at the potential of a gossip. She turned to the computer on her desk and began typing.

“Promise I won’t get into trouble for this?” Karen said.

“Of course. It’s him who should get into trouble,” Mother Superion replied, winking at the girl.

“A woman checked in the room thirty minutes before he arrived. A lot younger,” Karen said. “They’re in Room 204.”

“Thanks, Karen,” Mother Superion said with a smile.

“Good luck, girlfriend,” Karen replied. “Whatever it is that you’re doing up there, give them hell.”

xxx

Mother Superion knocked against the door of Room 204 and waited for a few seconds until it opened to reveal Veronica Milton from the paralegal department wearing nothing but a red silk robe.

“You’re not room service,” Veronica said. Her eyes went wide upon the sight of their visitor.

“And you’re not Michael Ferguson’s wife,” Mother Superion replied. “Why don’t you go dress up, Veronica, and wait in your car while I talk to our boss.”

“Excuse me?” Veronica said half chuckling in disbelief.

“Just do as she says, Nikki,” a man’s voice said from within the room. Michael Ferguson emerged from the bathroom buttoning his white undershirt back. His black coat lay on the brown carpeted floor in a state of disarray.

“Seriously, Mickey?” Veronica glanced at the US attorney in disbelief, who nodded at her in return. Mother Superion fought the urge to roll her eyes at the use of nicknames.

The younger woman scoffed, picked up her cream-colored blouse that previously joined Michael Ferguson’s coat on the floor, and rushed to the bathroom to put her clothes back on. She got dressed in a matter of minutes, emerging from the bathroom in the said cream-colored blouse and a black pencil skirt. Veronica Milton stepped into her ecru pumps by the door and passed Mother Superion by in a huff.

“Close the door,” Michael Ferguson said as he sat down on the bed.

“You have no right to be ordering me around,” Mother Superion replied but closed the door anyway.

“What is this about? You were following me?” the US attorney asked.

“I think you know that this is about. Adriel Alonso. It always comes down to him. You buried his case. What did you get for it in return? Girls? How many, how young?” Mother Superion started, approaching her boss with the courage only the recent discovery of an extramarital affair could provide.

“What are you talking about?” Michael Ferguson replied, feigning a chuckle.

“Ferg, that woman is at least twenty-five years younger than you!” Mother Superion said, her voice now rising.

“Everything is consensual, I did not force her to come here,” Michael Ferguson replied.

“That is not the point! You are her boss, her superior, you stupid fuck,” Mother Superion bit back.

“Excuse me?!” the US attorney replied, standing up to meet the special agent’s eyes. He was red in the face. Mother Superion had been wanting to call him that for years.

“Oh, no, no, only I get to raise my voice here, Ferg,” Mother Superion warned, standing her ground. “So you better tell me what Adriel gave you in return for burying his case or I will tell your wife about your little Thursday evening romp.”

“You cannot be serious,” Michael Ferguson replied, chuckling again. “You think so highly of yourself. I could get you fired, you know?”

“You are really threatening me with my job? A job that I actually quit a week ago?” Mother Superion said, smirking. She took out her phone from her pocket and pulled up her contacts. She called a name and showed her boss the screen.

_**Cynthia Ferguson** _

_**calling...** _

“I’m giving you ten seconds or until your wife answers, whichever comes first,” Mother Superion gave the ultimatum. She put her phone on speaker so that her companion could hear it ringing.

“Alright, alright, stop this charade, I’ll tell you what you need,” Michael Ferguson said. He wiped the sweat that formed on his right brow with his hand. Mother Superion hung her phone up and sat down on one of the chairs by the coffee table to listen to the story.

“I am planning to run for the position of Attorney General of the State of California,” Michael Ferguson started, sinking down back on the bed. “Adriel said he could rally the entirety of Los Angeles behind my back if I buried this case. I already poll well with the conservatives, but this is California. I would need the backing of Hollywood to get the liberal votes,” Michael Ferguson said in one breath. “It was not about the women. I do not care for Adriel’s women. I care only for the greater good.”

“I know you do not care about those women,” Mother Superion replied. “And you cannot say that you care about the greater good by excluding them. Adriel’s support would not ensure you that seat.”

“I know it won’t but it sure is a great boost,” Michael Ferguson replied, casting his face down. Suddenly, it looked like for him, the dull, brown carpet was the most interesting thing in the world.

“But you know what would ensure that you do not win?” Mother Superion started. “If the public somehow finds out that you had a solid case of sex trafficking against Adriel Alonso sitting on your desk that you just chose to set aside.If they find out that the victims were actresses and models, all sorts of people that they looked up to? Ferg, you are going to get canceled, or whatever the kids call it these days.”

“And who is going to leak that information? You? Who is going to listen to you?” Michael Ferguson challenged the former nun.

Mother Superion stood up with a smile on her face. She relished the look of cluelessness on her boss’s face for a few seconds before speaking.

“There is a big UFC fight that is happening on Sunday. Twelve of the women on Ava Silva’s list are going to speak up and use that televised event as a platform to accuse Adriel Alonso of all his misconduct. It would be followed promptly by a big social media takeover, victims, err, survivors naming their perpetrators, people finding out the news using hashtags, it’s beyond your comprehension,” Mother Superion narrated. “But it is going to happen whether you know of it or not. Now that you have the knowledge, what are you going to do about it?”

“You knew about this and you did not think to stop it or report it to your superiors at an earlier time?” Michael Ferguson replied. “These...survivors..., whatever you call them, are going to commit slander!”

“The truth is a defense against slander in the State of California,” Mother Superion replied. “I also took some units in Constitutional Law, Ferg. Are you seriously telling me that I should have violated these citizens’ First Amendment rights?”

Michael Ferguson stared at the special agent in awe, his mouth left hanging open. He felt backed away into a corner. Whatever power he thought he could dangle over his subordinate was quickly dwindling away. Finally, he gave up with a sigh.

“What do you want from me?” Michael Ferguson asked.

“I’m giving you a chance to get ahead of things here, Ferg,” Mother Superion started. “Adriel Alonso is coming to that fight, I am sure of it. You are going to apply for an arrest warrant tomorrow. Adriel is currently out of the country but he is going to be here in LA just in time for the match. You still have the chance to do what is right. This case would be sensational. You will win those liberal voters the honorable way.”

“Okay, done,” Michael Ferguson stated. “Anything else?”

“One more thing,” Mother Superion replied. “Adriel put out a contract for the kidnapping of our witness, Ava Silva. Ava’s kidnappers are going to surrender her to Adriel during the fight. That is the reason we are sure he is coming. We are going to make an attempt at a rescue and use the fight as a distraction. I need you to back me up in making it a legitimate and top-secret operation.”

“Who’s we? What is happening? How are you involved in all of these?” Michael Ferguson asked, now scratching his head. He wondered how many more other events were taking place under his nose. How could he have been so out of touch?

“Leave the dirty work to me. That is my job. Your job now is to cover my ass and shut your mouth. If any word of the plan reaches Adriel, I trust my team and, let's just say I would know that you are the only probable source of the information,” Mother Superion replied. “Your extramarital affair pales in comparison to what you just confessed. I am watching you, Ferg.”

The former nun showed her boss her phone screen once again, the audio recording now at twenty-two minutes and fifty-three seconds.

xxx

Beatrice opened the door to her hotel room the moment she heard the doorbell ring. She was already expecting Mary to drop by. The former agent texted her hours ago after the weigh-in asking to see her. The fighter told her to wait for another hour or two as she had some business to attend to. Beatrice just came back to her hotel room twenty minutes ago from the speakeasy where she discussed the big plan with Crimson. The fighter checked her watch. It was now twelve in the morning.

“You’re still having nights out days before the big fight?” Mary greeted her. The former agent was with a woman that Beatrice has never seen before. She was dressed in an all-white regalia befitting a post-apocalyptic villain and was carrying a brown, leather laptop bag in her hand. The stranger gave the fighter an unsure smile. Beatrice stepped aside to let the two in.

“Since when did you care about my fight,” Beatrice remarked, walking to the minibar to offer her visitors a drink. Mary waved the gesture away.

“Of course, I care, you have to win the match, remember?” Mary replied. “And I don’t want you to get hurt,” she added.

“It’s a mixed martial arts match, Mary. There’s no way I’m not getting hurt,” Beatrice said. “But...thanks.”

“Beatrice,” the fighter said, turning her attention to the other woman and extending her hand in greeting.

“Sorry, where were my manners?” Mary reacted. “Jillian, this is Beatrice, you already know her. Beatrice, this is Jillian Salvius. She’s a lawyer.”

“A lawyer,” Beatrice repeated, pointing to the cream-colored couch in front of the electric fireplace of her hotel room “What is the purpose of this visit?”

“Mary came to me this morning with your file and I studied your case. You should be expecting several indictments for your activities in the munitions cartel, as well as for the kidnapping of Ava Silva,” Jillian started as soon as she sat down on the couch. Mary and Beatrice each sank on the seats adjacent to it.

“Yes, and?” Beatrice pried.

“You would need a defense attorney,” Mary answered.

“What need would I have for a defense attorney? I plan on pleading guilty to whatever charges the prosecutors would send my way,” Beatrice replied.

“You’re not serious, Beatrice? You’re not even going to try? I’ve discussed this matter with Jillian and she says you might have a chance to fight this,” Mary said.

“I thought I told you about this, Mary? I no longer care. I know what I did and I know that I am responsible for my actions. The only thing that’s keeping me from walking to the doors of the FBI and confessing to my crimes the first thing in the morning is that I need to save Ava first and I have to make sure Lilith and Diego are safe,” Beatrice reiterated.

“Beatrice, have you ever seen the inside of a jail -” Mary reasoned but Jillian placed a hand on her shoulder making known her intention to take over.

“Beatrice, people are assumed to be innocent until they are proven guilty,” Jillian started.

“In the eyes of the law, that might be right. But in my own eyes? I know what I did and that is what I am telling you. Why are you not listening to me?” Beatrice replied, exasperated. She was tired from all the events of the day and she had no energy for this argument, not when she was already resigned to her fate.

“I get it. You already consider yourself guilty. But never think for once that the guilty do not have rights that need defending,” Jillian replied.

“I know you no longer want to fight, Beatrice. But what about Ava? Don’t you want to fight for her?” Mary decided to circumvent all of the postering and go right after the jugular.

“Ava hates me, as she should. I’m not even worthy to say her name. She would be the first person to want to see me behind bars,” Beatrice said, sighing. “Why are you insisting on this, Mary? You might be feeling guilty about what happened to me as a child but it already took place and there is no taking back the past. I’m not blaming you, you weren’t there to save me. I’m not even blaming Superion. I know she did everything she could. Stop imposing upon yourself the responsibility of saving me now. It is already too late.”

“Ava might have told you this. My gut has never failed me. Whatever our differences, my gut says that your heart is in the right place,” Mary replied.

“Mary, I’ve had a long day and I am really tired. If I agree to this, would that make you happy?” Beatrice said. It was a losing battle against the person she still aimed to please.

“Yes, of course, Beatrice. You can always take it back once you’ve thought about this thing thoroughly and realize that it’s not for you. Just don’t say no at this instant,” Mary replied.

“Fine,” Beatrice said. “Is there something I have to sign?”

Jillian took a thin folder and a pen out of her laptop bag and handed it over to the fighter.

“Just sign this retainer’s agreement,” the lawyer said.

xxx

The past two days had been uneventful for Ava. The high in her emotions brought about by Beatrice’ betrayal, her kidnapping, and the drive back to California has worn off. Now, the actress was simply bored. Lilith went out of the room after breakfast every day and would only come back in the middle of the night when she thought Ava was asleep. For the past ten nights, the actress felt the taller woman’s weight as she sank in bed next to her after showering. She always faced away from Ava, afraid that their skin might somehow touch in the course of their slumber.

_“Where have you been?” Ava would ask, craving for human connection._

_“Same as always. Padre’s lessons,” Lilith would reply._

The actress began feeling suspicious on the third night. She wondered why Lilith was taking her father’s lessons seriously when she was about to be rescued and be freed from Vicente’s clutches forever. She thought to send a message to Camila about her thoughts but she did not want to be perceived as someone who did not trust her team. For what it’s worth, Lilith was already a part of it.

_“Don’t you have a television here in the mansion?” Ava asked on the fourth night. Vicente’s house was dimly lit all throughout the day and reading made her eyes hurt._

_“I think the boys have one in their quarters. We used to have one in this room when my mother was alive,” Lilith replied from her side of the bed. “There was only one network, the one that aired your show. Beatrice was obsessed with it for years because there was nothing else to watch. Padre always said that all we needed were books. There is a big library down the hall, I’ll ask him tomorrow if you could spend time there if you want.”_

_“No, I think I’m just going to sulk here in your room until we’re freed,” Ava replied. Lilith chuckled and faced her. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, more so when she was not so serious. There was a dark look in the taller woman’s eyes that she has only ever seen on Beatrice and the actress swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as she turned her attention to the ceiling._

_“I bet you always made Beatrice laugh,” Lilith said, sighing. “I totally get it now.”_

During the day, when Lilith was not around, Ava would try to chat with Camila using the Kindle when her friend was not busy.

**_You know I cannot tell you about the entire plan._ **

_**No, you cannot bribe me with gossip. You better delete this now!** _

Ava downloaded The Brothers Karamazov, thinking that highlighting from a longer novel would help her communicate better with her friend.

_**You really should have downloaded something from this century. Go to sleep, Ava. We can’t wait to see you tomorrow.** _

It was the day of the rescue, and the girls dressed up after lunch for their drive to L.A. They were in Fresno, according to Lilith. There’s a little less than four hours of drive to be made, not considering the heavy traffic that the fight could attract in the roads leading to the arena. As instructed by Camila, Lilith wore another shirt under her blue knitted sweater. It was the same sweater that she wore the night they met inside the pool building of Gethsemane Training Camp many moons ago.

Ava wore the same size of clothing as Lilith, although the other woman’s jeans were longer. The actress sat at the foot of the bed, rolling the edges of her borrowed pants up when she heard the taller woman speak.

“Ready to say goodbye?” Lilith asked as she gestured to the room.

“You say goodbye,” Ava replied. “You grew up here. This has been your life. You’re finally leaving for good.”

Something shifted in Lilith’s eyes when she heard the actress’ words. She realized that this rescue was not just for Ava. It was hers, too. She looked around her room and her heart was suddenly gripped with a feeling of dread. This room, which she has not thought of until recently as her prison, was her sanctuary. A place where memories of her mother lingered, where she and Beatrice fell in love, where they shared hope for a normal future with her brother Diego. Padre Vicente’s words echoed in her mind.

‘ _You were bred in captivity.’_

She was brought back into the present when she felt a warm hand in hers. It was Ava’s.

“It’s going to be okay,” the actress said. “One step at a time.”

At that moment, Lilith knew exactly why Beatrice fell for this woman in front of her. She squeezed the hand back before letting go. She walked over to her bookcase for the final time and pulled out a thin book that was wider than all of the others, its edge sticking out of the shelf that it looked out of place.

“We should take this with us,” Lilith said, showing Ava the picture book. “It would be a great surprise gift for Beatrice after she wins later, don’t you think?”

xxx

They were sitting side by side inside a dark, tinted, bullet-proof van. Ava made sure that they were out of Lorenzo’s and Quebral’s earshot when she spoke once again. Padre Vicente rode in his own vehicle that drove behind the van in a convoy.

“There were no lessons this morning?” Ava whispered.

“No. You may not believe it, but Padre goes to mass in the chapel down the hill every Sunday morning,” Lilith replied. “He used to be a priest before he decided to become a mobster.”

“Wow, I really could not believe that,” Ava said. “I guess it’s a force of...habit.”

“I should shoot you for that,” Lilith replied, rolling her eyes. She found Ava cute, even adorable when she treated everything as a joke. Now that the execution of the plan was nearing, nerves filled the taller woman’s heart that she had no longer had room for humor.

“What, you’re going to grab Lorenzo’s gun?” Ava jested. “I don’t think he’ll allow that.”

“Mhmm,” Lilith only hummed in return.

“By the way, Lilith,” Ava started again, her tone now devoid of jest. “I’ve noticed that you were taking your lessons with Vicente seriously. I do not know what you’re planning. But I do hope we’re still on the same side.”

Lilith stared at the actress with a look of disbelief.

“You really thought I was planning to take over as my father’s right-hand man?” she whispered. “I was studying the business, all its details. I was looking for holes to try and figure out how to save Beatrice,” Lilith narrated. “After they rescue you, I know you would want to put my father and Beatrice behind bars. I do not blame you for that. But you are not the only one who needs saving. I do not care for Padre Vicente but I hope I could give Beatrice the chance to defend herself.”

“Beatrice behind bars?” Ava asked, startled. A chill ran down her spine at the possibility. “I haven’t, I haven’t thought about that at all.”

xxx

Nerves finally caught up with Beatrice, and it was not the usual pre-fight jitters. She shook her leg and bit her nails, feeling the strong urge to vomit. Shannon knelt down in front of her from where she sat in the arena’s locker room. The head coach requested for the rest of the team to get out, leaving the fighter alone with her coach and her manager.

“I know it is hard, Beatrice, but you’ve got to focus. Mary, Chanel, Blaire, and Camila will all do their job. You have to concentrate on doing yours,” Shannon said, figuring out how her fighter must be feeling.

“I, I need some air,” Beatrice said, standing up to walk towards the exit.

“Where are you going? The film crew will arrive in minutes!” Camila yelled after her friend but she was already out of the door.

xxx

Beatrice knocked on the white PVC door that was labeled with “Crimson the Blood” in a bold, red letter in front. A burly man with spiked blonde hair, wearing a blood-red bomber jacket opened the door for her, greeting her with a smirk.

“Crimson, I think this visitor is for you,” the man announced to the entire locker room. The laughter in the room quickly subsided at the sight of their team’s opponent and Crimson jumped from her seat to approach the visitor. The fighter was wearing a similar bomber jacket. She draped her long body against the doorframe in order to shield Beatrice from the others.

“Did you knock your head into something while sparring? What are you still doing here? They are about to film me inside the locker room! Don’t be stupid,” Crimson hissed.

“I just wanted to make sure you would follow through with what you promised,” Beatrice replied.

“We will see, okay? Can we not talk about that right now? Or not talk at all? I am trying to concentrate,” Crimson replied. “Or is this you trying to jeopardize me? Was everything you told me just an elaborate story to distract me from the fight?”

“Crimson, I get that you are paranoid, but this is serious,” Beatrice replied, offended.

“Then do your best to win so you won’t have to rely on me to start your social justice warrior ventures,” Crimson said before slamming the door on her opponent’s face.

xxx

The traffic going to the arena was already heavy at four in the afternoon. The lamp posts of the main road leading to the enclosed stadium were littered with posters of the fight. A giant LCD billboard showcased animated images of both fighters performing their shadowboxing and techniques for the camera on loop. Ava saw that Beatrice was wearing her familiar yellow sports bra and black shorts, while Crimson was wearing a red top of a shade as dark as blood. Both fighters were in braids. The actress wondered who would do Beatrice’ hair for the match.

“Out for the Blood of the Beast,” Ava read the title of the match out loud. “That’s pretty graphic. Crimson is out for Beatrice’ blood? What is Beatrice out for, then?”

“Her stupid face?” Lilith suggested. “The wording is consistent, though. Crimson is the challenger and Beatrice is the defending champion.”

Ever since she went with the fighter to the camp in North Dakota, the possibility of Beatrice truly getting hurt was always at the back of Ava’s mind. Now, the probability was looming before her as they drove closer to the arena. Her neighbor’s larger than life, beautiful, and stoic face stared at her from the billboard, replaced by her opponent’s menacing look in a matter of seconds. The actress tried to erase the image of a bloodied up Beatrice from her mind as Quebral pulled into an entrance to the arena that was reserved for the VIPs. Padre Vicente’s truck followed their vehicle closely.

Their cars halted beside a small granite tiled lobby separated from the parking area by a pair of automatic sliding doors. A young man wearing a black UFC shirt was waiting for the party. His ID hung from a lanyard that was draped around his neck. The card identified him as an usher. He opened the door for Padre Vicente while it was Lorenzo who opened the door for Ava and Lilith. The actress was instructed to keep her head down.

They were led by the usher through the sliding doors and up a series of escalators - three to be exact. Ava went up each floor with her heart hammering through her chest. She could almost taste freedom, almost. Beside her, Lilith kept her face cast down. The actress knew that the other woman felt it, too.

The young man finally led the party to an empty floor filled with doors. There was a bar near the escalator and the bartender was unoccupied. He looked bored, oblivious to what was to come later.

“You wanted the best box,” the usher said, turning the knob of the door that was furthest from the escalator. “You have your own bar and bartender inside. Welcome drinks are ready and a charcuterie board will be brought inside in a few minutes. You requested for our finest French wine?”

“Yes, yes I did,” Padre Vicente replied. It was information that Ava shared with the man. Adriel adored French wine.

“Thank you,” Padre Vicente said, taking five pieces of hundred dollar bills out of his wallet and handing it to the usher. He allowed Ava and Lilith to enter the box first before stepping inside, followed by Lorenzo and Quebral.

Ava was greeted by a spacious room riddled with white couches pushed against every wall. The floor was carpeted in red. On one side of the room was a marble top dining table that sat six people. In the middle were a billiards table and a table for cards. On the right side was a bar not unlike the one found outside. The bartender was already alert and attentive as the party filed in. Through the wide glass panels that constituted a part of the wall, the actress saw that the members of the audience were starting to find their seats inside the arena.

“Is there a bathroom outside?” Lilith asked as she accepted a glass of champagne from the bartender.

“You have a private bathroom inside this suite, ma’am,” the usher replied.

“I know, but Lorenzo and Quebral won’t be using that, would they?” Lilith said, looking directly at Padre Vicente.

“Of course, not,” Padre Vicente replied. “We have to keep it exclusive for Adriel. Only I and the two girls could use it, plus our guest.”

“Well, there is a bathroom right at the end of the hallway for you to use,” the usher replied.

“Great, great, thank you, we’ll get settled,” Padre Vicente announced, clapping his hands. “Could you let our guest up when he arrives?”

“Sure, no problem, I hope you all have a nice evening,” the usher replied, smiling before he closed the door to the suite.

xxx

The group had been lounging inside the private suite for at least an hour when the announcer signaled the beginning of the first preliminary card match. From the jumbotron hanging in the middle of the arena, Ava recognized one of the fighters for the first match. Sia Zami was one of the fighters she knew from the camp although she has never spoken to him. The actress remembered him to be quick-footed and strong. The thin crowd that was already inside the arena roared in anticipation as newcomers tried to find their seats. Inside the suite, Lorenzo and Quebral were playing a round of nine-ball. Padre Vicente was on his phone and Lilith was playing solitaire on the cards table.

Ava tried to accept a glass of champagne from the bartender. That earned her a stern look from the taller woman, who cleared her throat to get her attention.

“What? It’s just one glass, I need to calm my nerves,” Ava whispered. “You had one glass, yourself.”

“You look like you’re a lightweight,” Lilith replied. “Keep it together.”

The actress sighed and took out her Kindle, intending to read until an undercard fight catches her interest. There was a new pdf document from Camila that she has not yet seen. Ava was about to open it when she heard Padre Vicente’s voice.

“What is that?” Padre Vicente asked, looking at the object in Ava’s hands. “Lorenzo, Quebral, I thought you searched both girls for devices?”

“Padre, it was Lilith, she said there was no need to take that device from Ms. Silva,” Lorenzo replied, quick to put the blame on the taller woman.

“Padre,” Lilith started, “a Kindle is no cause for concern. Ava just wanted to read books.” The tall woman explained. She stood up from the cards table and walked to her father, whispering in his ear, “I was still trying to get her to trust me so she would open up, I figured there was no harm in letting her keep her Kindle.”

Padre Vicente nodded at the woman, “let me see it nonetheless.”

He walked towards Ava, holding out his hand. The actress quickly turned the wifi off and handed the device to him. She had no choice. From behind Padre Vicente, Lilith shared a look of fear with the actress. They had ten days of planning, a number of people involved, yet only this single chance. All could be lost with one tap of Padre Vicente’s finger. Ava held her breath as the man’s digit hovered over the document that Camila sent. It had a fake title on the cover. _Alice Adventures in Wonderland_.

Right there and then, the door to the suite opened and the usher from earlier popped his head in.

“Your guest is here,” he announced.

“Adriel!” Padre Vicente greeted the newcomer, dropping the Kindle on the couch next to Ava and approaching him with his arms wide. The actress closed her eyes and both she and Lilith let out a sigh of relief.

A rather dashing looking man stepped into the room, admiring the amenities of the private box. He was wearing a white button-down shirt and a pair of jeans and had his long hair in a ponytail. It was the first time that the actress was seeing him in months. Her heart hammered through her chest, afraid that the newcomer could read her thoughts.

“Quite the place you have here, Vicente,” Adriel remarked, looking at the crowd outside through the glass panel windows. Ava saw that he had two bodyguards with him and noticed that they were new. The actress was good with faces and it was the first time that she was seeing the two.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re used to all these,” Padre Vicente replied, trying to downplay the situation.

“I’m more of a backstage kind of guy, if you know what I mean,” the man replied, smirking. Padre Vicente let out a chuckle that Ava knew to be fake.

“And who, might I ask, is this gorgeous woman?” Adriel said, turning to Lilith. The actress knew that tone. It was the one Adriel used when he sets his eyes on a target. Right now, there was a big bull’s eye on Lilith’s head and Ava felt sick to her stomach.

“May I introduce to you, my daughter, Lilith,” Padre Vicente said, stepping back in order to showcase the lady beside her. Lilith’s back straightened. The actress knew that Padre Vicente has never recognized the woman as his own.

“Ah, too bad, Vicente,” Adriel replied.

“It is very nice to meet you,” Lilith said, extending her right hand.

‘Don’t you dare, don’t you dare touch her with your sticky fingers,’ Ava thought. Adriel took Lilith’s hand in his own, tipped it over, and kissed it.

The actress was livid. Suddenly, she could feel her rage. She wanted to rush to where Adriel stood, wanted to get his hands off Lilith, wanted to wipe that ugly smirk from his face. Lilith was playing the perfect hostess, smiling shyly and fluttering her eyelids at the visitor. Ava knew that it was just part of the plan, but that didn’t make her hate the act any less.

“And you, little girl,” Adriel said, finally turning to the actress with a look of menace in his eyes. “Long time, no see.”

xxx

Lilith sank on the couch beside Ava when her father and Adriel started talking business by the bar. The man ignored the actress after greeting her and telling her he would deal with her later. Three charcuterie boards were brought in and the bartender uncorked the establishment’s finest bottle of French red. Adriel’s bodyguards stood at one corner of the room keeping watch.

“That was so close,” Lilith whispered.

“I know, I never thought I would be so happy to see Adriel,” Ava remarked. “Hey, you okay? He touched you.”

Lilith shook her head. “It had to be done. This will all be over soon.”

“Thank you,” Ava mouthed. The pair turned their eyes to the jumbotron and watched preliminary fight after preliminary fight as they waited for their signal. By the bar, Padre Vicente and Adriel were deep in conversation, glancing from time to time at the fight outside whenever they hear the crowd roaring.

Two hours in. A fighter from Beatrice’ team won the last of the preliminary cards, much to Padre Vicente’s jubilation. Things were going well for the man. Most of his preliminary fighters won. Adriel seemed impressed so far that he even started talking business with him. Padre Vicente was already thinking of gifting Lilith with any piece of jewelry she might want. This was all her idea after all.

His conversation with the Hollywood tycoon only ceased when the lights inside the arena went off. The party heard a drumroll and the crowd, which has since packed the stadium, went wild.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMENNNN,” the announcer’s disembodied voice blared through the speakers.

“It’s starting,” Padre Vicente said, gesturing excitedly so that Adriel would pay attention to the jumbotron.

“THE MOMENT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. IT’S TIME FOR THE MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING. FIVE ROUNDS OF FIGHTING FOR THE UFC FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AS BEATRICE, THE BEAST TRIES TO DEFEND HER TITLE FROM CRIMSON, THE BLOOD. LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, THIS. IS... OUT FOR THE BLOOD OF THE BEAST!”

The crowd roared once again, truly hyped for the fight. Ava could hear a faint chanting of ‘ _The Beast! The Beast!_ ' from outside. Beatrice truly was the more popular fighter coming into the match.

A montage of both of the fighters' training interspersed with their interviews and interviews with their coaches started airing on the jumbotron. Beatrice’ and Crimson’s voice overs reverberated throughout the arena, each woman narrating their struggles for the match. Some of the training scenes were shot inside the dojo of the training camp in North Dakota and Ava felt a sudden nostalgia for the place she called home for almost a month.

“I’m gonna teach this world that it should not have forgotten me,” Crimson narrated through her voice over. “I’m gonna win.”

The screen of the jumbotron went black and then turned on once again to show the words ‘CRIMSON "THE BLOOD"’ in dark red ink amidst a black background. Images of sputters of blood were all over the frame for effect.

The spotlight focused on one of the stadium’s dugouts. A loud, hip hop track that was not familiar to Ava blared over the speakers.

“FROM EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM...CRIMSON, THE BLOOOOOD!,” the announcer said.

On the jumbotron, Ava watched as Beatrice’ opponent emerged out of the dugout with a menacing look in her eyes. She was flanked by three bouncers on either side as she walked, nay, ran down the aisle towards the cage. The bouncers tried to catch up with her and her own coach had to stop her from entering the octagon altogether. She was still wearing her team’s red bomber jacket and pants. There was laughter from the crowd below.

“The match hasn’t even started yet and she’s already putting on a show,” Lilith remarked, shaking her head.

Crimson stripped down to her red sports bra and black shorts. She balled her gloved hands into fists as she flexed for the camera while the fight official searched her hair and body for concealed weapons. When she was cleared, her coach started to apply petroleum jelly on her face. Ava heard that her coach was her own father. He was giving her last-minute instructions before he let her inside the cage. Once inside, Crimson made a show of running around the cage and practicing her footwork.

The lights inside the stadium dimmed once more. Ava’s heart pounded inside her chest. She was about to see Beatrice in the flesh once again after a while. Even from afar and separated by glass, she was not ready to deal with how she might feel.

“AND NOW, FROM FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. GIVE IT UP FOR THE CURRENT UFC FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION...BEEEEEATRICE, THE BEAST!!!”

The jumbotron displayed the words ‘BEATRICE "THE BEAST"’ in simple yellow block letters and the spotlight focused on the entrance of the dugout on the other side of the arena. Music started blaring over the speakers and Ava noted the opening riff of Kong by The Notwist, the only song she recognized from Beatrice’ playlist and which she played on their drive to North Dakota. The actress was overcome with a surge of emotions she could not quite explain.

The audience roared and from the jumbotron, Ava saw that Beatrice had started to walk out into the arena, flanked by three bouncers on either side like Crimson was. She walked slowly and with more intent. There was an unreadable expression on her face. The fans tried to touch her as she passed by, despite the bouncers. Inside the cage, her opponent was shaking the metal wire of the octagon with her hands, daring Beatrice to come closer. It was a show that Ava has only ever seen in televised scripted wrestling matches.

Beatrice stopped near the cage and ignored the taller fighter. She stripped down to her yellow sports bra and black shorts and spread her arms wide as a fight official searched her hair and body for any concealed weapons. Ava saw Shannon on the widescreen applying petroleum jelly on Beatrice’ face as she mouthed her final instructions. The entire team was wearing their yellow bomber jackets, and Camila was at the back with her familiar clipboard. She tapped the fighter one last time before she entered the octagon.

Crimson charged at Beatrice at once and she had to be separated from the shorter fighter by the referee. The referee pushed the Brit to one side of the octagon and Ava saw him mouth his warning to Crimson’s face. Beatrice jumped up and down and stretched on her spot as the jumbotron showed the tale of the tape. The actress was surprised to find out that her neighbor was five pounds lighter than her opponent.

The official introductions began. The camera focused on Bruce Buffer as he introduced the judges for the match. He then proceeded to hype each fighter up for the crowd. When all the ceremonial segments were over, Beatrice and Crimson finally approached each other before the referee in the middle of the cage. The taller fighter stared her nemesis down as the referee explained the rules of the match. When that was done, Beatrice offered her gloved hands to touch them with Crimson’s but the taller fighter declined and instead moved to her corner of the octagon. Beatrice moved to her own.

Each fighter put on their respective stances and began with their footwork, waiting for the referee’s signal to start the first round. The referee gave the cue. The Beast and The Blood finally faced off in the middle of the octagon.

xxx

Mother Superion stood at the topmost row of the VIP section, watching the scenario below. She took her phone out of her pocket.

“It’s started,” Mother Superion said through the receiver.

“Yeah, I can hear it,” Mary replied. “I’m just going to wait for them here. It’s up to Lilith now.”

“She can do it, I know she can,” Mother Superion replied.

xxx

The Blood came at her wildly with punches. Even from that distance, The Beast knew that with her opponent’s reach, each blow could still be deadly. The taller fighter threw a left hook, forcing the shorter fighter to dodge to her left. She was met by a kick on the right side of her body that she was able to block with her forearm just in time.

‘That was strong,’ The Beast thought. The Blood had the reputation of being a formidable striker but she definitely wasted no time, making her strength known to her smaller opponent at once. She hoped that the shock of the strength of the blow did not register on her face.

The Beast circled from the outside, finding a spot in The Blood’s defense and landing a combination of punches on the left side of her body that she hoped were strong enough. The taller fighter was unfazed, going for a clinch while The Beast was still in her vicinity. She held the shorter fighter’s head in an armlock and squeezed.

Not even a minute in and The Beast was already fighting The Blood’s fight. She knew she would not last long like this, dancing to the beat of her opponent’s drums. The shorter fighter suddenly had a brief memory of her training back in North Dakota, of her teaching Ava how to work the speed bag.

_“How do you do that? Keep up with the bag when it’s bouncing around so fast?” Ava asked._

_“I don’t keep up with the bag. It keeps up with me. I control the speed,” Beatrice replied._

Ava.

The Beast was almost sure that her opponent would renege on her promise to start the entire movement in case she wins, and she cannot let that happen. She cannot just keep up with The Blood. She must control the fight.

The Beast slithered out of The Blood’s hold, managing to land a kick on her opponent’s side when they were both on their feet. The smaller fighter did not realize that she was already bleeding from the nose and her nemesis smirked at the sight.

The Beast attempted an armlock of her own but she could not close, The Blood was too tall. Her opponent used the failed attempt to try and dig her elbow into her left rib that she blocked that with her arm. The smaller fighter managed to land an uppercut but not before The Blood has connected a particularly strong hook to her right jaw.

The Blood attempted another clinch, one which the shorter fighter welcomed. She’d have a much better chance at landing kicks and punches if she could get past her opponent’s longer reach. She made the most of their shortened distance, trying to land as many knees, elbows, and punches as she could while protecting her left rib. The taller fighter butted heads with her, causing a cut on the top of The Beast’s right brow. She was slowly being blinded by the sweat and her own blood when she heard the sound of the horn signaling the end of the first round.

xxx

Ava closed her eyes and bit her nails as she gripped the armrest of the couch with her other hand. She could not bear to watch the match on the jumbotron. Crimson was simply bigger and the actress has never seen Beatrice look that bad. The first round was almost over and the fighter looked red in the face. A cut has just formed on the top of her right brow from a head butt that Ava was sure to be intentional.

“What are you doing?” Lilith whispered to her.

“I can’t see Beatrice like this,” Ava admitted.

“Keep it together and watch. You cannot show Padre that you care,” Lilith hissed back.

Adriel stood up from the barstool and approached Padre Vicente.

“I think I want to watch the fight up close. I did not really come here for your cold cuts and French wine, Vicente,” Adriel said.

“You want to go down there to the side of the cage?” Padre Vicente confirmed.

“Yes. Let’s do it quickly if we want to catch the rest of this fight,” Adriel smirked. “It looks like your fighter is going down the next round.”

There was an unreadable expression on Padre Vicente’s face but he stood up, nonetheless.

“Lorenzo, Quebral, you’re in charge here,” Padre Vicente said. Both the boys nodded. “Lorenzo, keep an eye on Ms. Silva.”

“Yes, please keep my little one safe until we get back,” Adriel added, winking at Ava before disappearing behind the suite’s door with both his bodyguards in tow.

xxx

“Mary, Adriel is here,” Camila whispered to the receiver of her phone, hoping that the agent could hear her despite the noise of the VIP crowd.

“Yeah, we’re kind of expecting him to be here,” Mary replied.

“No, I mean he is here as in he is sitting two chairs away from me beside the cage,” Camila said.

“He’s not in the private box? Who’s there with him?” Mary asked.

“Vicente and two bodyguards, not sure of whom,” Camila replied.

“Okay, ask Ava who’s there with them in the box,” Mary instructed.

“On it. Wait for my text,” Camila replied.

xxx

“Hey, Camila’s asking who’s left here in the suite with us. She probably spotted Adriel down there,” Ava whispered to Lilith. It was the middle of the second round and Beatrice did not look any better. A few seconds later, the actress received another document from her friend. She opened it and read it.

“It’s on,” she whispered to the taller woman. Her heart hammered through her chest but now was not the time for second-guessing. Lilith nodded at her, knowing what she had to do. She stood up and walked over to the bathroom as Ava watched her retreating back.

The bathroom was grandiose, a lot bigger than the one they had in their private box during Beatrice’ last match that was held in Melbourne. Lilith walked on top of its clean, white granite-tiled floor towards the lone toilet. She saw her reflection on the wide mirrors on top of the sink as she passed by, illuminated by the glow of faint yellow light emanating from the bronze lamps that accentuated the white walls. The place smelled faintly of freesias - there was a fresh bunch in a light blue vase on the sink top. Lilith thought that she could spend the rest of the evening just hanging out in the bathroom. But no. No time to lose.

Lilith undressed, taking off the blue knitted sweater and the extra shirt that she was wearing underneath. She balled the shirt, compacting it to make it smaller, before stuffing it down the toilet bowl. Mary said she would be taping a stick underneath the sink so she could stuff the shirt further down the hole. Lilith felt for it with her hands, pulling the object out from under the granite sink once her fingers came in contact with the long, rough wood.

She used the stick to nudge the shirt further down the hole until it was no longer visible. Lilith tested her work by flushing down the toilet. It clogged. In a few seconds, the water spilled over the seat and into the floor.

“Yeah, that’s enough manual work for me for today,” Lilith muttered to herself. She squatted beside the sink and hid the stick underneath with the same duct tape that was used to conceal it. She then washed her hands on the tap, wiped them dry, and put her sweater back on.

“The bathroom is clogged,” Lilith announced to the group once she got out. “I haven’t used it yet, I just tested it and it’s clogged. The water has spilled to the floor.”

“What do you mean?” Lorenzo asked, stepping into the bathroom to see for himself. The man tested the flush, pushing it down over and over again.

“You’re just going to flood the entire box, you know,” Lilith said.

“You managed to clog the toilet? You knew I had to pee! I’ve had to pee since we left the mansion,” Ava said. She was leaning by the doorframe, her arms crossed on top of her chest. There was an annoyed look on her face.

“I told you, I haven’t even used it yet,” Lilith said, approaching the girl. “I just tested it.”

“You insisted on going first, like with everything!” Ava exclaimed, now nudging the taller woman’s chest with her finger, “And now, you broke it. You couldn’t even say sorry!”

“It’s not my fault! It’s just a bathroom, Ava!” Lilith replied.

“I told you I really have to pee!” the actress retaliated.

“Woah woah woah, what is going on?” Quebral said from behind the actress, finally joining the affray. “Sheez, ladies, there’s no need to fight over a bathroom. Didn’t the usher say that there’s one down the hall?”

“We can’t let them outside,” Lorenzo replied.

“Come on, Lorenzo, it’s just the bathroom. You can take them and stand guard,” Quebral said.

“I am watching the fight!” Lorenzo resisted, gesturing to the jumbotron with both of his hands.

“You hate Beatrice,” Quebral replied.

“That’s why I want to see her being pummeled live! The bitch is losing,” Lorenzo insisted.

“Come on, it would be just a few minutes. Padre Vicente tasked you with keeping an eye over the captive,” Quebral said with finality. Lorenzo groaned but motioned for the two women to follow him outside the private box.

Ava tried to hide her smile upon knowing that their little charade worked. It should. She and Lilith had been practicing all morning.

xxx

It was just the second of five rounds. She knew she could still turn the match around. She had to, there was no other choice. Shannon’s only words for her during the time out replayed in her mind.

_“You have to stay focused.”_

Followed by Mary’s just a few days ago.

_“You have to win.”_

Of course. The Blood’s assistance was no longer a guarantee. That burden was on her shoulders alone. The Beast wondered why she even tried to get her sympathy. The whole world knew that her opponent never liked her.

The Beast tried to land a couple of punches on her adversary, but that meant having to go inside her circle of reach, opening her body up for the possibility of retaliation. The Blood tried to land kicks on the left side of her body, but The Beast was always ready, protecting her rib from each blow.

The Blood tried to land her kick higher, on the right side of the smaller fighter’s neck. The Beast crouched in order to avoid it. The distance gave her the chance to gain momentum and put her entire weight on an uppercut. It connected. The taller fighter was taken aback, moving a few steps away from The Beast to catch her breath.

She smirked.

They were only getting started.

xxx

“You don’t need to be here, this is the ladies’ room,” Lilith told Lorenzo pointedly. “I’ll keep watch over her.”

“Hey, listen, missy, I know you think that you are our new boss but I never treated Beatrice as my superior,” Lorenzo replied. “Padre Vicente put me in charge over Ms. Silva. Now, let me in.”

Lorenzo barged into the ladies’ room and Ava, who was already inside, exchanged looks with Lilith, thinking of how they could bring down this guy who was still bigger than both of them put together. That was when the cleaning lady from one of the stalls went out of the cubicle and started pushing Lorenzo out. She was speaking in a language that neither the big guy nor the two women understood, gesturing to the bathroom sign - a stick figure of a human in a skirt.

“Alright, alright, take it easy, lady, I’m getting out,” Lorenzo said, holding his hands up. “I’m standing just outside the door, Lilith. You better keep a close watch on her,” he reminded the taller woman before the cleaning lady shut the door on his face. She took off the grey cap that she was wearing with her uniform and faced the two women.

“Mary!” Ava exclaimed. Lilith anticipated the reaction that she tried to cover the sound with a fit of coughing.

“Not now,” Mary whispered. “We have to move, and quietly. Only a matter of time before he becomes suspicious.”

“You are Lilith?” Mary said, addressing the taller woman.

“Yes,” Lilith said, smiling and extending a hand. Mary took it and shook it firmly, eyeing the other woman the whole time.

“Mary,” the agent replied with her name. “You’re the tallest here. I think you should go and climb over the window first. When you’re on the other side, help Ava as she climbs down. I’ll get out last. Come on.”

Lilith moved without answering, swinging a long leg on top of the sink that was nearest to the window in order to open it. Mary turned on the taps in order to mask the sound of the hinge creaking.

“Alright, can you do a pull-up, or would you need a boost?” Mary asked Lilith as soon as she got the window open.

“Huh, can I do a pull-up?” Lilith replied. Rather than answering, she heaved her upper body and then her legs through the window effortlessly. Lilith was gone from Ava’s and Mary’s line of vision in seconds.

“Show off,” Ava muttered under her breath.

“You’re up,” Mary said. “I know you need a boost.”

“It’s nice to see you, too, Mary,” Ava smiled as she stood on top of the sink before stepping on Mary’s hand as the agent pushed her up the window. The actress’ arms were weaker than Lilith’s and she struggled to heave herself up the window. She saw the taller woman already waiting to catch her on the other side. Ava kicked through the air instinctively in an effort to hoist herself up. The edge of her left pant has unraveled and her foot came in contact with a potted plant that was situated at the corner of the sink and the wall. It came falling on the floor with a loud crash.

With Ava’s right foot still in her hand, Mary saw the knob of the locked door move. Lorenzo was trying to open it from the other side.

“What’s going on over there, Lilith? Open the damn door!” Lorenzo shouted, banging against the wooden panel.

“No time to lose,” Mary said. The agent used the adrenaline rush that usually comes with close calls and pushed Ava up all the way through the window. She thought that there was a high chance that the actress would fall face-first on the other side and she could only hope Lilith was there to catch her. Lorenzo forced the door open with his shoulder just in time to see Ava’s leg disappear.

“Fuck!” Lorenzo screamed, running towards the sinks to try to put a leg up and catch the actress but Mary was there. She threw her entire weight on the man, tackling him and bringing both of them down on the marble floor.

“You’re no cleaning lady,” Lorenzo muttered.

“Nope,” Mary replied before delivering a strong right hook to his left jaw. The man’s mouth turned slack and he lied down limp on the floor as he lost consciousness. The agent quickly stood up and took Lorenzo by the armpits, pulling him into one of the cubicles in order to hide his body.

When that task was done, she felt the burn in her arms. The adrenaline was wearing off and she had to take a second to breathe.

“Mary, are you okay?” the agent heard Ava whisper tentatively from the other side.

“I’m okay,” Mary replied, “joining you in a second.”

Ava and Lilith were there on the other side to catch Mary as she descended from the window. The agent’s arms were still shaking from having pushed the actress up the window and pulled Lorenzo’s unconscious body into the bathroom stall that her hands gave up halfway down. She fell into Lilith’s strong arms.

“Thanks,” Mary muttered, smiling as she steadied herself. The actress eyed her companions with a puzzled look.

“What?” Mary asked Ava as she tried to recover her breath.

“You’re smiling. You never smile,” Ava replied.

“Come on, we have to go. That man blacked out but he might wake up any time soon. Are there any other of Vicente’s men nearby that he could alert?” Mary asked, ignoring Ava’s comment.

“There’s still Quebral. We left him inside the private box,” Lilith said.

“We should move then, before he realizes that something is going on,” Mary replied.

The actress took stock of her surroundings. She noticed that they were in a dimly lit, deserted corridor. Outside of its white walls, Ava could hear the faint rumble of the roar of the crowd. Another round must have begun.

“Where are we?” Ava asked. Lilith and the actress followed Mary to the end of the corridor.

“The service route. The service crew takes this corridor to stay out of sight as they serve the private boxes, here,” Mary said, gesturing to a door on the left side of the wall. She opened it to reveal a supply closet.

“Camila hid these here earlier this morning,” she said as she passed around oversized yellow shirts that said “ _The Beast_ ” on the front with a picture of Beatrice in fighting stance as well as baseball caps with the initials UFC embroidered in front. “Put these on quickly before someone enters and try to blend in as regular fans the moment we get out.”

Ava placed the shirt on top of the sweater she was already wearing and hid her face with the cap. She felt weird putting on clothing that had a huge representation of the fighter’s beautiful face in the front. She saw Lilith smooth her own shirt before she fixed the cap on her head.

“You both ready? Let’s go,” Mary said. The agent opened the door and Ava squinted from the blinding lights of the arena.

The actress stepped out. She was free. Almost.

Until she saw Quebral charging for them.

Ava was out of the door when the man started hollering for them, his roars masked only by the excitement of the crowd. He was close, too close, about six feet away. It was too late to call Mary or Lilith for help so the actress used the only weapon she had her hands on.

Ava gripped the handle of the door tightly, waiting for the perfect timing. When Quebral was only a foot away, she banged the edge of the door on his face. The actress heard a little crack before the big man thudded on the floor cross-eyed.

“Sorry!” Ava said, before closing the door to him entirely.

“Nice job,” Mary said, smiling at her with a rare, impressed look on her face.

“You were there the whole time?!” Ava replied.

“You took care of it,” Mary said. “Come on, we have to move.”

Ava saw that they were in the mid-section of the indoor stadium. The fighters were unrecognizable inside the cage from this distance, but on the jumbotron hanging from the ceiling of the dome, the actress saw Beatrice take a punch to the gut. Her face was bloody, the right eye was almost closed shut by the swelling.

“Mary, there is no way Beatrice is winning this fight unless, by some sort of miracle, she manages to knock Crimson out,” Ava remarked as she walked beside Mary to the exits of the section. The trio kept their head down trying to blend in with the crowd.

“She came into the fight at a slightly lower weight and she has not been sleeping well,” Mary replied. “All the stress of the planning caught up to her. But it’s not for naught, we are almost out.”

“Don’t worry about her, she’s a big girl,” Lilith said from Mary’s other side, although a tone of fear betrayed her voice.

“I’m not,” Ava replied coldly, trying to mask the concern in her heart. It was the first time that the actress saw the fighter that injured. From the little knowledge that she was able to gather at the training camp, she knew Beatrice was out of her form. She would hate it if the fighter went through all that training only to get hurt and lose the match just because...

‘Just because what? Because she lied to you and is now desperately trying to make it right? She should know what’s coming for her,’ Ava forced herself to think, trying to wipe away any concern she still has for the fighter. The actress took one last look at the jumbotron and at Beatrice’ bloodied face before following her companions out of the section.

xxx

Ava, Lilith, and Mary were nearly by the exit of the arena. The actress could already see the packed parking lot from where they stood when they heard the thunderous roar of the crowd from inside.

“What’s happening?” Ava asked Mary but the agent just pushed her towards the exit.

“We’ll find out later, we have to get you to safety first,” Mary replied. She put on an airpod in her right ear and began speaking. “We’re at the exit.”

A black Mercedes van not unlike the one Ava boarded on the drive from Fresno pulled up in front of them and the actress felt a shiver down her spine. She thought instinctively to run away. Yet the van’s door slid open to show her social media manager’s face.

“Chanel? What are you doing here?” Ava asked. She quickly boarded the vehicle with Lilith while Mary took the passenger’s seat in front. The driver pulled out of the parking lot quickly as soon as all the doors were locked.

“Superion? We have them. We’re out,” Mary reported through her airpod.

Lilith took her seat beside Ava and started looking around the van’s interior.

“Where is my brother?” the tall woman asked frantically.

“He is in my house,” the driver replied. “Ava’s ex-boyfriend, JC, is looking after him.”

‘So now JC was also involved?’ Ava thought. When she was imagining the rescue back in the mansion, she thought that a battalion of cops would come and safely escort them out of the arena. She never once imagined that help would come in the form of her social media manager and her ex-boyfriend. Ava completely forgot the thought when she realized that she recognized the driver’s voice. It was a voice she has not heard in a decade and one she could never forget. She reached out to the front to touch the driver’s shoulder.

“Blaire? How come you’re here? What the hell is going on?” Ava asked in confusion.

“It’s nice to see you again, little bird,” Blaire replied, addressing the actress with the term of endearment she always used to refer to her on the set of their sitcom.

“There are a lot of elements in the plan that we had to keep secret even from the both of you just to make sure Padre Vicente does not find out. We can all catch up later,” Mary said, addressing Ava and Lilith. “But we have to execute the next stage. Where are we on that?”

Mary looked expectantly at Chanel but the girl kept quiet.

“What?” Mary followed up, now addressing Blaire.

“Let’s pull over here,” Blaire replied. “We’re far enough from the arena anyway.”

Blaire slowed down to park in front of a convenience store situated within a Chevron gas station that was along the road. She kept the engine running as she faced the newcomers.

“We were monitoring the match while waiting for you to get out,” Blaire began. “Crimson knocked Beatrice out with a spinning kick to the rib just before you called me to pick you up.”

Chanel showed her phone’s screen to everyone. “It looks like she never got to go back up,” she said sadly.

On her phone’s screen was the headline of an article that was just released a minute ago.

**Crimson Paints the Cage with the Blood of the Beast in Upsetting Knockout Loss**

There was a picture of Beatrice face down on the floor of the cage with the taller fighter lording over her, her fist already up in victory. Ava shut her eyes. She could not bear to see Beatrice in that state.

“So...no one is going to start this whole thing,” Mary said in realization. Both Blaire and Chanel shook their heads sadly.

xxx

The Beast knew that it was a losing battle, but she was sure that her opponent will no longer hold up her side of the bargain. She resolved that as long as she could put one foot in front of the other and both hands up, she was going to fight. The Blood came into this match the better fighter. Through her right eye that was almost blinded by her own blood, she saw her opponent lunging after her.

‘Left hook.’

The Beast dodged the blow.

‘Right-handed chokehold.’

That was an illegal move, but that fact has not stopped her opponent from trying it in the previous rounds. The Beast grabbed The Blood’s right wrist as it aimed for her neck, all while delivering a karate chop on the crook of her elbow, reversing the blow, careful to make The Blood’s hand land on her own face instead of her windpipe so that The Beast would not be deducted a point.

‘Bit of an opening to your left.’

The Beast spun on her left foot, delivering a roundhouse kick on The Blood’s left ear.

‘My right.’

The taller fighter was down.

‘Just say when.’

Almost.

Yet The Blood’s legs were strong and she trained hard for this moment. She stood up and placed her hands in front of her once again, smirking at The Beast at the taste of her own blood oozing out of her newly busted lip.

‘Not now, I guess,’ The Beast thought. She has survived for four rounds because The Blood’s moves were easy to predict, but staying two steps ahead could only bring her so far. That kick was just not strong enough, so were all the other punches she has been throwing. She was already half-blind and she could not get her mind off from wondering how the rescue mission was going. She was trying hard to rev the engine, but there might be no gas left in the tank.

The Beast saw The Blood charging at her, kicking her chest with her right leg. The smaller fighter caught her foot just in time with both hands. She thought it was weird. Nine times out of ten, her opponent would use her left leg to land a kick. Why would she gamble with her weaker leg at such a crucial point in the match?

When she realized that it was a trap, it was already too late. With her right ankle still in The Beast’s hands, The Blood twisted on the spot with her remaining foot planted on the ground so that the heel faced the shorter fighter. The Blood pivoted, jumping her left foot using her toes as a spring and moving her center of gravity towards her upper body, forcing her right arm to turn clockwise and closer to her body, thus accelerating the spin as she delivered a spinning kick with the back of her left foot. With no hand available to block the blow, The Blood’s heel landed on The Beast’s left rib. It was a calculated move. During training, that particular kick was meant for her opponent’s jaw. But the taller fighter has noticed that The Beast was letting her guard down to protect that side more frequently than the other. And so she went for it.

The Beast lost all the air that was left inside her lungs. The Blood’s face was only a few inches away from her as she fell. Her eyes were already sure of victory.

“It’s now up to you,” The Beast managed to mouth before she fell face-first on the cage’s floor.

xxx

Ava’s face has been buried in Chanel’s chest ever since they saw the replay of Crimson knocking out Beatrice on Blaire’s phone. She could not bear to look at the fighter's swollen face when she finally got up about a minute after the match officially ended. The fighter stood beside the referee waiting for her loss to be announced on live television. The referee was sandwiched in between the two fighters, holding the hand of each on his own.

“The winner by KNOCKOUT!” the announcer’s voice boomed all over the arena and through the live stream on Blaire’s phone, “and the NEW FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, FROM EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM, CRRRRRRIMSON...THE BLOOD!!!”

The referee raised the taller fighter’s hand. Beatrice faced the winner and bowed down but Crimson merely ignored her, jumping up and down the cage in jubilation. She was greeted by her coach and the rest of the team in a bone-crushing hug. Beatrice’ shoulders slumped. She bowed down before Shannon before stepping into her embrace. Ava also saw Camila on the screen behind the head coach, ready with a towel for the losing fighter. She gave her friend a hug as well.

“What do we do now?” Mary asked, unsure.

“Well, it is the internet, it’s still going to blow up whether or not we announce it on TV,” Chanel said.

“What is going to blow up?” Ava asked.

“Phase two of the plan,” Chanel replied. “I am just second-guessing whether tonight is the right time to launch the project now that we lost the benefit of live television.”

The actress realized that there was a lot more to what her social media manager was letting on and that catching up would require lots of time and effort. She decided to leave everything up to the group and watch as the events unfolded.

On the screen of Blaire’s phone, the live stream closed up on Crimson’s face as she was being interviewed post-fight.

“You came into this fight as the heavier fighter so strength is a given, but I think, as the audience might have observed, you were by far the quicker, more agile, and even, I never thought I would say this in comparison with The Beast, the more focused fighter,” the interviewer said. “How does it feel?”

“It feels great, Jerry. You know, it really all comes down to who was the better-prepared fighter. People think that I am cocky too full of myself but the truth was, I trained hard for this fight because I never underestimate my opponents. It was probably what Beatrice did and it showed,” Crimson replied, speaking on the microphone. Behind her, her team celebrated. One of the members of her staff began waving the flag of the United Kingdom.

“Speaking of preparations, Beatrice had the opportunity to train in a state of the art private facility up at the North Dakotan mountains. She also just came from an upsetting win of her own against an undefeated champion. You, you had to train in your father’s small gym in the UK and you haven’t had a fight in three years. Is that why you think came into the fight more hungry for victory?” the interviewer asked.

“Well, I’ve got nothing to lose, Jerry. Beatrice had a reputation and a lot of expectations at stake and I was just a forgotten fighter. I’m glad I was able to show the world tonight what I could still do,” Crimson replied. It looked like the interviewer was expecting a longer answer but the fighter stopped speaking, staring at the side of the cage where Beatrice was still standing. The new champion held her adversary’s gaze.

“Oh fuck it,” Crimson said. The five-second delay of the live stream allowed the network’s editing team to bleep the word out. The fighter took the microphone from the interviewer’s hands and moved to the center of the cage.

“You really want to know why I was forgotten for the last three years? Why I could not get a fight?,” Crimson began, more like a speech than in response to the interview question.

“Wait, what’s happening? Something is happening,” Chanel said, exchanging looks with Blaire and Mary.

“It is because of this man who is sitting in the second row. Yeah, I’m looking directly at him,” Crimson said through the live stream.

“Crimson is starting it! She’s accusing Adriel!” Blaire said in disbelief as she held her phone. “Chanel, are you ready with the tweets?”

“Yes, on it, I’m going to hit send at the right moment,” Chanel replied as she held her own phone eagerly. Her Twitter app was logged into the official account of the project and the tweets containing the videos of the survivors were in her drafts days ago.

“Beatrice must have told her, she must have ensured this plan would work whether or not she wins!” Blaire exclaimed.

“This man, Adriel Alonso, tried to sell my body to one of his clients,” Crimson continued. She gestured air quotes with her free hand. “When I refused, he made sure that I would never fight again, until tonight. There are more stories like this, more stories of us. If you want to know more, go to Twitter and look for the hashtag BetweenUs -“

The screen cut into black and the live stream ended.

“I just sent out the first tweet,” Chanel announced. “I’m building the thread now.”

xxx

Inside the arena, the audience whipped out their phones one by one. In a heartbeat, each section of the stadium was illuminated by the light emanating from a multitude of screens. A search for the hashtag led to the Twitter account @TheThreadBetweenUs. The second tweet was a video of a woman that was forty seconds long. It read:

 **Hear Blaire Kinney’s story of survival. Trigger warning: mentions of rape and sexual abuse. To watch the full video and others like this, go to<http://TheThreadBetweenUs.com> #BetweenUs# ** **#PassTheThread**

Blaire Kinney’s voice reverberated from a sea of speakers. All over the stadium, the audience’s eyes were glued on the screens of their phones as they heard the voice of an actress that they haven’t heard from in a long time.

_Hi. I am Blaire Kinney. You might remember me as Michelle from the sitcom Like Father, Like Daughters. Ten years ago, while we were on the road promoting the latest season of the show, I was raped by one of our executive producers. I, together with another cast member who witnessed the crime, reported the incident to the other executives of the show. The producer did not get fired. My castmate and myself promptly got written out of the show and were told to never mention the incident to anyone else ever again. I never spoke about what happened to me, not even after I left Hollywood._

_Until now. I am breaking my silence because incidents of rape and sexual assault happen more often than we think. It probably has happened to a family member, a significant other, a friend. Chances are, it has happened to you._

_You are not alone._

_I urge you to make your voice heard, share your story, pass the thread. Make someone else feel that you are there with them. We are in this together. Together, we can force them to listen._

_This is the thread between us._

_This is the thread between us._

_This is the thread between us._

The emotion behind Blaire Kinney’s voice echoed throughout the stadium that the hairs on Mother Superion’s arms stood on their ends.

“So, this was the plan?” Michael Ferguson asked as he looked at the legions of people hooked on their phone screens. He, together with other members of law enforcement deputized to execute the arrest warrant against Adriel Alonso, was standing by the exits of the VIP section of the arena. He could already predict how the story would trend worldwide. He made the correct decision of getting on Mother Superion’s good side.

“Ready?” Mother Superion asked her team. “Adriel has two bodyguards. One of them, the tall bald one, kept on patting his jacket pocket during the entire match. I think he’s armed.”

“The audience has to surrender their firearms at the entrance,” one of the younger agents said.

“Bill, I know you’re new here but these people, they don’t play by the rules for ordinary citizens,” Mother Superion replied. “Alright, we’ll go down to the second row now, just keep your eye on the bald guy.”

xxx

“Both #BetweenUs and #PassTheThread are already trending in L.A.!” Chanel announced as she looked up from her phone. Blaire was busy on the driver’s seat looking for someone who might be live streaming the event from inside the arena after the official broadcast was cut off.

“Here, found one!” Blaire announced, showing her phone’s screen back to the rest of the group. The video was shaky and the camera that was used was not professional. It was obviously shot from the audience. Crimson was still inside the cage and a lot further from the screen.

“It’s Beatrice’ official Facebook page that’s sharing it. It must be Camila!” Chanel said. “Oh, quick thinking, that lovely girl!”

There were fifty-six thousand people viewing the stream and counting. Crimson was not done speaking. She was in the middle of recounting her own story. The interviewer was trying to get his microphone back but the fighter was unstoppable.

“He told me he could get me other film roles if I played to his wants,” Crimson narrated. Ava shivered upon hearing those words. It was the same phrase that Adriel tried to use on her when they first met.

“He said a client was into tall and muscular women like me. Like I was a piece of meat. Lo and behold, the client comes out of the fucking loo in just his robe. I only wanted to fight. For three fucking years, he made sure that never happened,” Crimson continued, her expletives now uncensored. “Maybe he thought no one would listen to me. Tonight, the world is listening. They’re listening to us.”

xxx

Adriel Alonso was livid as he watched the scene unfold from the second row in the audience. He was used to making the world go round behind the scenes, moving the pawns, calling checkmate. That was his legitimate job, after all. As a Hollywood executive, he made the news happen. Now, he was guessing that he’d be the fodder of the evening news. People might even forget about the fight but not how the new flyweight champion has just accused him of sexual misconduct. His name would be in the headlines, for sure.

The thought made him furious. An entire social media movement centered around bringing him down? Who do these women think they are? He has moved them like chattel for years, they are not going to stop him now. No. This movement, whatever it was, he could crush this in days. Did they really choose Crimson as a spokesperson? A person as cocky and brash and unrefined? They should have gone for someone quieter. The perfect victim. Someone like Beatrice, perhaps.

That was when he realized that Crimson was only speaking now because she won the fight. If the tables were turned, he was sure it was Vicente’s fighter who would be making that speech. This must be a setup. It was Vicente who insisted that he come and watch the match when he could have simply surrendered Ava days ago without fuzz. Adriel had always played it cool. He was seldom angry. There was no reason to when things have always gone his way. Yet now, he was blind with a fury that he has never known before and he did not know how to react. He grabbed the man that was sitting beside him by the collars of his black button-down shirt to make him stand up and face him in the eye.

“YOU!” he screamed at the other man’s face, the executive’s spittle resting on the man’s cheek. “This was all you, Vicente!!!”

“No, I had nothing to do with this, Adriel. Please believe me,” Padre Vicente replied. “Let’s talk about this,” he tried to grab the taller man’s hands but his grip on his collars was strong. The former priest was immediately flanked by Adriel’s bodyguards, one on each side.

“I’m done talking,” Adriel replied. There was a menace in his voice and his eyes screamed murder. He moved quickly, grabbing the pistol that he knew his bodyguard carried in his pocket and pointed the gun at Padre Vicente.

The sound of the shot reverberated throughout the entire arena and the audience scrambled, running in different directions. Mother Superion and the other agents were pushed from all sides by the stampeding crowd as they rushed down the flight of stairs to where Adriel was standing. From the distance, the former nun saw the body of a man lying on his back near the aisle, the crimson red of blood pooling around his black button-down shirt.

Adriel aimed the gun at Crimson at the center of the cage before Mother Superion could reach him.

xxx

Blaire and the rest of the group were watching the live stream of Crimson’s speech from inside the van when they heard the shout of someone so near the phone’s receiver that it must have been the person taking the video.

It was Camila’s voice, undoubtedly. “Adriel has a gun!”

They all heard a shot and Ava jumped in her seat as the sound of the resulting commotion overtook the audio of the live stream.

Another shot and Camila dropped her phone. Somebody must have stepped on it because the video that was being broadcast live from the Official Facebook Page of Beatrice the Beast was suddenly cut off.

xxx

“Superion, what the hell is happening? We heard shots!” Mary called her former boss who finally picked up after three missed calls. In the background, the former agent could still hear shouting.

Ava watched as Mary listened to Superion from the other end of the line. Her face bore no emotions, and the actress could not infer whether the news she was currently receiving was terrible or really terrible.

“Alright, thank you, keep safe,” Mary said over the receiver before hanging up. She looked at every person in the van with concern but her gaze lingered at Ava’s face the most.

“They have arrested Adriel. They’re currently reading him his rights,” Mary started slowly. “Before the FBI could reach him, Adriel grabbed the gun of one of his bodyguards. He shot Vicente at point-blank range. The medics on standby for the fight are already performing first aid but it looks bad according to Superion. That was the first shot we heard.”

The actress did not know why Mary bothered to go into the details of what happened to Vicente. Ava could care less whether the man was dead or alive.

“And the second shot?” Lilith asked.

“Adriel shot at Crimson before law enforcement tackled him to the ground,” Mary reported.

Ava’s first reaction was to let out a sigh of relief, followed by guilt. Crimson was just an innocent person who tried to help them with their plan even when, judging from Blaire’s and Chanel’s reactions earlier, she was not expected to. The actress hoped that Adriel missed the shot from that distance.

Mary was still staring at the actress after her last words and something told Ava that there was more.

“And?” the actress prodded.

“Beatrice, she...” Mary struggled. “She jumped in front of the bullet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really sorry this update took so long. I did not take a break. I was writing everyday but this chapter was just too complicated. I had to take naps in between writing scenes because it was that exhausting!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. We’re nearing the end, although I added a chapter, if you’ve noticed. I would love to hear what you think!


	15. All of Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh. I don’t know if you’ve noticed that I added another chapter. This is only because as I was writing this update, I already had 17k words with about 2k left to write. I realized that would make my chapter lengths lopsided, the chapter too long to fully be appreciated the way I wanted it to be, and too difficult to proofread. So I’m dividing this update into two. And since I have the second half practically finished as well, you can expect it within the week.
> 
> I’m sorry that this update has taken too long.

The last thing she saw was the muzzle of the gun aimed at her from about fourteen feet away. She could imagine it still smoking from the last shot it fired. There was anger in the eyes of the man who held the weapon, every fiber of his was shaking except for both of his hands. His hands were steady, calculating. She saw the exact moment he pulled the trigger.

And then there was blood. Too much. The sticky, dark, red liquid pooled in her upper limbs, coating them with a film of slimy, nauseating fluid. It was only when she felt the dead weight of the body in her arms that she realized that the blood was not her own.

She caught Beatrice’ limp body before it fell to the ground, frantically looking for the area where all the blood was coming from. There it was, on the left rib, where she kicked her only minutes ago, a blow that led to her loss. It was the same place that just sustained another blow that gave Crimson a second lease on her life.

‘This bitch. Now I owe her my life. Now I’m indebted to her. She just had to play the hero, huh?’ Crimson thought as she pressed on the gunshot wound to try and prevent any more bleeding.

“HELP! HELP US!” the fighter wailed as she cradled her opponent in her arms, holding back the tears that she did not realize would come. She saw Adriel from the audience being cuffed, men in uniform descending upon him on the directive of a woman in a black leather jacket. She saw the medics tending to the man on the ground by the aisle, the red of blood pooling around his unconscious body. In the blur, Crimson saw medics in uniform enter the cage and lay down a stretcher beside both fighters. She saw that little girl who was always with Beatrice, and the other woman she knew to be her coach, flanking them. A medic tried to gently remove Beatrice from her arms, but the new champion would not let go.

“She’s bleeding! I’ve got to, I’ve got to stop the bleeding!” Crimson retaliated, holding the body tighter to her chest. Beatrice saved her life and she was now her responsibility. The smaller fighter’s eyes were open and staring at the lights of the jumbotron, her mouth slightly agape. A medic closed her lids.

“We understand ma’am, we have to perform the proper first aid and stabilize her before we transport her to a hospital,” the medic replied as he knelt down beside the two fighters. He took two fingers to the pulse of Beatrice’ neck.

“She’s still alive, but barely,” he announced. “We have to act fast.”

A warm hand rested on Crimson’s shaking shoulder. It was the coach.

“Crimson, let go. They know what to do better. We have to get Beatrice to a hospital,” Shannon said.

“B-but she saved my life! I can’t leave her! I can’t let her go!” Crimson replied.

“You are saving her life by letting go, Crimson,” Shannon said. “Come on. You’ve done well.”

Crimson let her opponent slowly go, laying her head gently on the floor of the cage. She took Shannon’s hand as the coach helped her stand up.

“I-I’m sorry,” Crimson struggled to say. “The bullet was for me. I didn’t ask her to. I just knocked her out and -“

“No one blames you, Crimson. Beatrice would have done that for anyone. That’s just who she is. Let’s get you to your team,” Shannon said as she and Camila escorted the distressed champion out of the cage.

xxx

“We have to go back!” Ava pleaded. “Beatrice, she needs help!”

“We can’t go back, Ava. The plan was to get you to Blaire’s house where we regroup,” Mary replied.

“But Beatrice has been shot and she’s all alone!” the actress said, looking desperately to Lilith for backup. The taller woman kept her head cast down.

“She’s not. Camila and Shannon are still there with her. Look, there is nothing we could do for Beatrice at this point, it’s not our presence she needs,” Mary reasoned.

“Mary is right, Ava. At this point, we’d only provide a distraction. Especially you. You’d have to keep a low profile for now. Regroup as we wait for news,” Blaire said. “And pray no other harm comes to her.”

“Lilith?” Ava said, turning to the woman beside her for support.

“They’re right, Ava. Beatrice would have wanted us to go through with the plan up until it fruition,” Lilith said, nodding at Mary.

“Lilith? This was a person you loved and she has been shot!” Ava tried to reason. There was a strain in her voice brought by the tears that she was biting back.

“Correction, Ava. This is a person that I STILL love. A person I have known for years. I am positive of what she would have wanted, and that is to make sure that you are safe,” Lilith replied. “So can you please just listen, for once?”

Ava sighed and looked at Chanel for one last reinforcement. The girl merely nodded at her regretfully, bolstering what Lilith just said. The actress pressed her eyes into her palms to rein in the flow of tears that threatened to rack through her body. She was taken into somebody’s nimble arms. Whether Lilith's or Chanel's, she no longer knew.

xxx

When the party poured into Blaire’s living room, JC was there to greet them in his fitted white shirt and jeans. He was a familiar face, and Ava found his presence comforting that she ran into his arms instantly. The man enveloped his ex in a tight hug, kissing her hair.

“Ava, I’m so glad you are safe,” JC greeted the actress.

“Thank you, JC,” the actress said gratefully. She closed her eyes and inhaled his familiar scent.

“Diego and I were watching the news and...” JC cut himself off. He was still holding Ava in his arms. “I don’t know how much he saw or understood but I turned the TV off and made him go up to the game room to sleep.”

“My brother, where is he?” Lilith asked the only man in the room.

“Upstairs, first room to your right,” JC replied. Blaire nodded at the tall woman to give her permission to go right ahead. Lilith ran upstairs to look for her brother.

“Blaire,” Ava said, extracting herself from her ex’s arms in order to give her oldest friend a proper hug.

“C’mere little bird,” Blaire murmured into Ava’s hair as the actress sank into her arms.

“Thank you, I still don’t understand everything, but I am grateful,” Ava replied.

“Guys, it’s Shannon and Camila,” JC said as he turned the television in the living room back on. “I didn’t see them earlier.”

On the screen was a news reporter broadcasting outside the doors of the emergency room of St. Areala General hospital. A small congregation of cable news networks has flocked around the area. In the background was an ambulance and a distressed looking Camila and Shannon, both with blood on their team shirts.

“Are they just bringing Beatrice now to the hospital?” Ava asked. She sounded impatient and helpless at the same time.

“No, no,” JC responded, “they brought her in earlier in a different ambulance, about fifteen minutes before you arrived. That’s when I turned the TV off so that Diego would not see.”

“New information is just coming in,” the reporter said on the screen, bringing a hand up to her earpiece in order to hear the details that were being transmitted from the studio better, “Several witnesses state that it was allegedly Hollywood executive Adriel Alonso who fired both of the shots that were heard inside the arena after the match. The first victim is a yet unidentified man, about fifty to fifty-five years old. Witnesses say that the victim seemed to be acquainted with Mr. Alonso, sitting next to him in the audience and chatting with him all throughout the match. The victim of the second shot was confirmed to be Beatrice the Beast, who lost her title earlier to the new champion. They are both currently being treated at this hospital.”

“Shit, Camila and Shannon need to get out of sight of those reporters. They can’t talk to anyone, not until we have strategized. This has become a legal battleground,” Mary said, whipping out her phone from her pocket and dialing a number. She put the phone against her ear. “Superion, where are you?”

“Thought we could all use a drink?” Chanel said, coming over from the kitchen with a bottle of red and some glasses. “Sorry, Blaire, I took the liberty.”

“Of course. I told you, mi casa es su casa,” the former actress said, still holding Ava in her arms. The actress looked at her friend, the one she has always seen as an older sister.

“Do you have something stronger?” she asked.

“Awww, my little bird is all grown up,” Blaire replied, amused. “Why don’t you sit down and get yourself comfortable. Chanel can start filling you in on the details while I get the bourbon.”

“Okay,” Ava replied, taking a seat on her friend’s couch. She took a stock of her surroundings. The living room was bright, with the walls painted in white all the way to the high ceiling where a branched, golden chandelier was hanging. The walls were decorated with framed studio portraits and magazine covers of actresses Ava knew from small projects.

“You’re wondering what Blaire has been up to the past decade?” Chanel said, observing her client. Ava nodded.

“Well, let’s start with the night Beatrice arrived at Mary’s apartment with the little boy,” Chanel began. Mary’s interest was piqued at the mention of her name and the agent approached the two. “Would you like to begin?” Chanel gestured at Mary with a graceful hand.

“Yeah, well,” Mary said. “I think it was ten days ago. Beatrice arrived on my doorstep with Diego. At that time, I had been trying to get in touch with both of you for the past two days and neither one of you was answering your phone. You could say that my initial reaction was of relief when I saw her, followed by dread because I knew Beatrice cutting her training short must have meant bad news.”

Blaire joined the party at her couch with a tray of glasses and the bourbon decanter. JC rushed to the former actress’ side to help her set the tray down on the coffee table. Blaire joined in recounting the story of the past ten days, chiming in on the parts she was heavily involved in. They got to the point of the story about the Twitter thread and the website. It was Chanel who recounted her ideas animatedly, stopping only at the sound of Lilith’s footsteps as she went down the stairs and rejoined the party in the living room.

“He’s asleep. I didn’t wake him up, just took my time looking at him to make sure that he is safe...and free...and that all of this is real,” Lilith announced in between heavy breaths to no one in particular. Ava realized that the taller woman was in a room full of strangers, save for the actress. Her instinct was to get up and approach Lilith, when they were all interrupted by JC turning the volume of the TV up.

“Guys,” he said, signaling for the party to be quiet. The same reporter was back on the screen, still broadcasting live from outside the double doors of the emergency room.

“Breaking news in this still-developing story, the first victim of the shooting just after the UFC match between Beatrice the Beast and Crimson the Blood concluded has been identified as Father Vincent, a former clergyman from Fresno, California. Sources from his previous parish state that he left priesthood more than twenty years ago,” the reporter said. “Official sources from the hospital confirm that Father Vincent has been declared dead. Back to you, Claire and Reggie,” the reporter said.

The screen was split into two, and the left panel showed the news anchor live from the studio. Her short blonde hair was coiffed and her red suit looked starch and pristine.

“And the second victim, Beatrice, what do we know of her?” the news anchor said.

“Claire, the last thing I heard was that she was brought into surgery,” the reporter replied.

“There has been a lot of talk in the social media about the gruesome incident this evening and how it is connected with Crimson’s speech after the match where she accused Adriel Alonso of sexual misconduct. Not to mention the Twitter thread that is currently trending worldwide, and the blog containing videos of other women accusing the Hollywood executive of the same. Now, my question is, why was Beatrice the one who ended up getting shot?” the anchor asked.

“Claire, it is not yet clear whether or not Beatrice had anything to do with Adriel Alonso or the hashtag. As all of you may know, I am a sports reporter. I do not typically cover crime scenes. It just so happens that I was there during the incident because I was covering the fight. Now, based on what I saw, and I was seated very near the cage, Crimson was in the middle of the octagon when Adriel fired the second shot. Beatrice, despite her injuries from the fight, came flying out of nowhere to jump in front of the bullet,” the reporter replied.

“We are very lucky that you were there at the scene and we are glad to see that you are safe. We wish the very best for Beatrice, who turns out to be our hero tonight. Thank you for your updates, Michelle, appreciate it,” the anchor said.

All eyes were on Lilith as her knees buckled. She would have collapsed on the floor if not for Mary who was there to prop her up with her strong arms. The former agent led her by the shoulder to the couch where Ava was sitting. The actress enveloped her in a warm hug, finally deciding that she was grateful to have Lilith for company during the past ten days.

“What are you thinking?” the actress whispered to the taller woman’s ear. Fear was reflected in Lilith’s eyes and her lips trembled as she spoke. Her voice was hoarse.

“He is dead, Padre Vicente is dead,” the woman said as if she just realized it.

“He’s gone. He is not going to touch you or your brother ever again, you hear me?” Ava reassured her.

“But what’s going to happen now?” Lilith asked. The actress’ heart sank. This woman, who seemed to be so sure of herself and in-charge back in the mansion, looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Ava realized that Lilith was clueless about how the real world worked.

“Social services will take your brother in the coming days,” Mary answered, kneeling in front of Lilith. “Beatrice might face several charges, depending on who is going to talk. Granted that she survives the shooting, we have a long battle ahead of us. We will have to regroup after this, talk legal strategies, but for tonight, we rest.”

xxx

It was one in the morning and Lilith could not sleep. She had agreed with Mary’s offer for her to stay in the former agent’s apartment for the time being. They would leave first thing in the morning, not wanting to overstay their welcome in Blaire’s home. That night, however, everyone seemed to feel the need to be close to everyone else. Even that muscled guy that was Ava’s ex offered to sleep on the living room couch just so he would not have to go home.

Shannon and Camila, two people that Lilith only heard about from Beatrice’ stories, arrived at around eleven. The pair reported the presence of the press around the perimeter of the hospital. Camila narrated animatedly how Superion was able to sneak them out some back door. Lilith had no idea who that was, but she figured she would ask Mary tomorrow. The newcomers’ bloodied shirts caused another crying episode for Ava and Shannon took the actress in her arms to try and calm her down. She said that Beatrice was still in surgery when they left, but the doctors were hopeful. The coach, who had not spoken to her god in years, offered a prayer for her fighter that night.

Lilith reassured Ava that all would be fine. It was Beatrice. She always knew what to do. She would know how to survive this round. That finally convinced the actress to go up to Blaire’s room and get some rest. Lilith had convinced the owner of the house that rooming with Diego was more than she could ask for. Blaire had been a gracious host and had offered her a guest room of her own, but she was still a stranger. This house, no matter how welcoming, was still full of strangers, and Lilith clung to who was familiar. The choice was down to Ava and Diego, but the actress was already surrounded by old friends, people who went over and beyond just to try and save her. The taller woman doubted that Ava would want to have anything to do with her anymore. So she lied down beside her sleeping brother and stared at the ceiling.

Thoughts raced through her mind and would not leave her alone. Padre Vicente was dead. Her father. The person who had placed a roof above their heads and food on the table. She wondered how she and her brother would survive now. They were bred in captivity. They would die in the wild.

Not Beatrice, though. She would know what to do. She has found her calling, she would know how to navigate the outside world. Yet even her, the greatest person Lilith has ever known, was as of the moment fighting for her life.

Maybe she should not have gone with this stupid plan. Maybe she should have stayed, remained loyal to her father, lived and died within the walls of the mansion like her mother. She was happy enough under his care if she never discovered what the outside world had to offer. A loving set of friends, people who would come together to devise an intricate scheme to try and get one safe without expecting anything in return. Before she saw Ava with her found family earlier, the entire concept was alien to her. Now, knowing that she could have that for herself as well, did she really wish she had stayed?

Lilith sat up. Her mind has left her restless, she thought she might as well go for a walk. She stood up from the air bed that was set up on the floor of the tiny game room and gathered her blanket like a shawl to shield herself from the cool midnight breeze. Through the window, the taller woman saw that a person had already beaten her claim to Blaire’s backyard. In front of a little fire that was blazing on the ground stood the silhouette of a woman that Lilith has come to memorize in the past ten days.

xxx

“Couldn’t sleep?” Lilith greeted Ava, her bare feet stepping on the soft bermuda grass of the backyard as she approached her. The actress jumped at her voice and looked around. There was a relief on her face when she discovered it was just Lilith.

“Jumpy much?” Lilith chuckled.

“Sorry, I, I just keep imagining Lorenzo or Quebral at every corner,” Ava replied. “You?”

Something shifted in the taller woman’s face upon hearing the actress’ words. She was so fixated at how easily Ava was welcomed back into her world that she forgot about what horrors she must have brought back from the one they just left.

“No, I couldn’t. I just have so many thoughts...about what life has for me after this,” Lilith replied. She noticed that the fire was coming from within a used can that was by Ava’s feet. She gestured to it.

“I’m cold,” Ava replied.

“Blaire has a fireplace in the living room, I’ve noticed,” Lilith said.

“Well, it’s an electric fireplace. Couldn’t really burn anything, could it?” Ava replied. She took an object out of her jeans pocket, the same pair of jeans that was Lilith’s, and that the actress had to fold along the edges because the other woman’s legs were much longer than hers.

It was the little black notebook that Beatrice left for Ava, the one where she wrote her story. The actress threw it into the fire nonchalantly and Lilith had to hold back her gasp.

“Beatrice gave that to you, what are you doing?” Lilith asked.

“I’ve read it. There’s no reason to keep it,” Ava replied.

“You cannot forgive her,” Lilith said, more as a statement than a question.

“She’s making me hard not to, not when she’s doing stupid things that put her life in danger when no one asked her to,” Ava replied. The actress stared absently at the fire eating away at the pages of Beatrice’ story. There was an edge to her voice and it was about to crack. “Not when I did not ask her to.”

“You know she had to do it. That’s just Beatrice. She saves people,” Lilith reasoned.

“Does she? Or does she just save people who she has brought into harm’s way in the first place? It’s just about her, isn’t it? She did not even stop once to think I could be waiting for her,” Ava replied. Her voice had finally cracked and she wiped away at hot angry tears with the hem of her shirt. A shirt that bore Beatrice’ face.

“Maybe she,” Lilith started. “Maybe she didn’t think you would be waiting. Maybe she thought she did not deserve it.”

“It’s because she does not trust me to make that decision on my own, so she made it for me,” Ava replied. “Just like with everything else.”

“Goodnight, Lilith, I hope you find your peace,” the actress said with a tone of finality. She turned around without waiting for a reply and left Lilith, once again, alone with the thoughts that raced through her mind.

xxx

Lilith scratched her head as she tried to figure out how to get water to come out pouring into the coffee filter of Mary’s espresso machine. She has been staying in the former agent’s apartment for four days now, and making coffee was still rocket science to her. She tried her best to help around the house, although Mary told her not to bother, probably because she had to redo any chore that she tried to accomplish anyway. Lilith heard Mary’s footsteps approach her in the kitchen and she turned around to beat her to the bush.

“I can’t get it to work,” she admitted. She was greeted by an amused smile from the former agent. The taller woman tried hard to suppress the gasp that would have escaped from her lips at the sight of the owner of the house. Mary has just shaved her head. The lack of hair accentuated her strong jaw even more and made her smile pop out. She looked cozy and ready for breakfast in her gray woolen sweater. Unemployment suited her. Lilith immediately recognized that that was a ridiculous thought and brushed it away from her mind.

“The machine’s not plugged in, Lilith,” Mary said, chuckling. “Excuse me,” she added, smoothly sliding up next to the taller woman to solve the problem. Lilith instantly caught a whiff of leather and motor oil, that scent that she has soon come to equate with home. Mary then pushed a button on the espresso machine and Lilith heard the soft hum that signaled the beginning of breakfast.

“Power source, right,” the taller girl remarked, distracted by Mary’s smile.

“Mhmm,” the former agent confirmed. “Eggs?”

“Yes, please,” Lilith replied.

“Burnt bottom, runny yolk,” they both said at the same time. Mary chuckled and the taller woman laughed away her blush. She had been staying with the former agent for merely four days and the other woman had memorized her already. Lilith took a grip of herself before she got used to it. This arrangement was just temporary. Aside from social services taking her brother two days ago and her best friend in the world lying in a coma in a hospital bed, nothing this good could come easy. Not for her. Lilith cleared her throat.

“I-I’ll get the eggs,” she offered.

“Make that four eggs, Jillian is coming over for breakfast,” Mary said as she turned the stove on. “Can you handle the toast as well?”

“Of course,” Lilith replied. “Jillian?” she asked. If there was a lover not mentioned, she wanted to know about them now.

“Salvius. Beatrice’ lawyer,” Mary replied as she put a little bit of oil in the pan. Lilith passed her the eggs.

“Since when did Beatrice have a lawyer?” Lilith asked.

“The night before her fight? She didn’t want one but I managed to convince her, which is lucky because she is still unconscious and can’t consent to the services of one. Superion’s also coming,” Mary said as she cracked three of the eggs to beat them in a bowl. “Oh, you’ve never met her. Well, she’ll be here in ten minutes,” she added upon seeing the confused look on the taller woman’s face.

The pair made breakfast in silence. Mary hummed a tune that was not familiar to Lilith as she made her special creamy scrambled eggs. Just as the pan was hot enough, the former agent cracked another egg for Lilith’s sunny side up. The other woman was setting the table when they both heard the doorbell ring.

“Can you get that?” Mary asked.

“Of course,” Lilith replied, always eager to be of help. She placed the last plate on top of a bamboo placemat and attended to the door. A woman with blonde curls that reached up to her shoulders and in a white suit and a pair of white pants greeted her on the other side.

“You must be Lilith,” the woman smiled.

“And you’re Jillian. Or Superion?” Lilith replied, unsure.

“Jillian Salvius,” the visitor held up her free hand. Her other hand was holding a leather brown case.

“You were right, I am Lilith,” the taller woman held out her own hand to shake Jillian’s and opened the door wide for her.

Jillian Salvius strode into Mary’s living room, taking a look around the small yet cozy place. Lilith has done some rearranging and it brought in more natural light into the otherwise cramped space. The lawyer approached the display cabinet that showcased the former agent’s awards and medals. The glass that had been shattered when Mary threw Beatrice’ back against it more than ten days ago had not yet been replaced.

“In here,” Mary yelled from the kitchen.

“Mhmm, coffee smells good,” Jillian remarked as she walked into the dining room and found her seat.

“Yeah? Lilith made coffee,” Mary said, turning away from the stove to serve the newcomer some eggs and toast.

“No, I couldn’t even get the machine to work,” Lilith said as she placed a steaming mug in front of Jillian.

“I agree, that thing could get quite tricky, but it is sturdy. I gave that espresso machine to Mary as a Christmas gift, what, seven years ago?” Jillian asked.

“Mhmm, thereabouts,” Mary said, taking a seat in front of the blonde. Lilith took that as a cue and sat down beside the lawyer. The trio heard the doorbell ring once more. Lilith was about to get up but Mary stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

“Don’t bother, she has her own key,” Mary said. The taller woman gave her a puzzled look. _Does another person have a key to the apartment?_ This must be the lover that was not mentioned.

From her seat by the dining table, Lilith saw a raven-haired woman enter the front door and hang her leather coat on the coat hanger. She was left in a plain white tank top and jeans as she walked towards the dining area like she memorized the place.

“Good morning. I need coffee, please,” she announced to the room. Without stopping by the table, she approached Mary’s cupboard to obtain a clean cup and poured herself some of the fragrant dark liquid. She took a long drag of the hot drink with her eyes closed and sighed before turning her attention to the party around the table.

“Your coffee has really improved, Mary,” Mother Superion remarked.

“Oh, no. Lilith made coffee this morning,” the former agent replied.

“So, you are Lilith,” Mother Superion sat down in front of the woman and gave her a once over. “Nice to finally meet you. I’m happy you got out in one shape as well. Thanks for keeping an eye on Ava.”

“Thank you for all your help,” Lilith replied politely. She squirmed under the newcomer’s discerning look but she tried to hide it.

“So,” Mary began once more. “Bad news, I take?”

“Not so good. There’s been talk about the possible charges that may be filed in connection with Ava. The U.S. attorney is planning to bring a charge of conspiracy to kidnap against Adriel, and kidnapping against Beatrice,” Mother Superion narrated as she buttered her toast.

“Michael Ferguson is bringing both of these charges?” Mary asked, confused. She was led to believe that the attorney was now on their side.

“Ferg won’t touch the case. He wouldn’t go anywhere near Ava anymore,” Superion replied. “They are bringing in a new person to prosecute the kidnapping.”

“Who?” Jillian Salvius asked. The two women had known each other for quite some time, having attended Mary’s surprise party a couple of years back. The former agent hated birthday parties so she was never thrown one ever again, but Superion and Jillian Salvius bumped into each other from time to time in downtown L.A.

“Vivian Valdez,” Mother Superion replied.

“Vivi Valdez?” Jillian confirmed.

“Yes. You know her?” Superion asked.

“She was a classmate, back in Georgetown Law,” Jillian replied. “I knew her when she was still Vivian Vale.”

“Outstanding record. No spots. I couldn’t find anything that we could possibly use against her,” Mother Superion sighed.

“You won’t. Vivi holds her morals in high regard, her god is the rule of law, sworn duty, and all of that,” Jillian recalled. “And we are not blackmailing any more U.S. attorneys. One is already too much of a risk,” she added, eyeing Mother Superion.

“I understand,” Mother Superion assured the lawyer. “Ferg is an asshole and got what he deserved, but yeah. No more blackmail.”

“How did they,” Lilith said, speaking for the first time. “How did they get hold of the information that Beatrice might be connected with the kidnapping?”

“We arrested two of Vicente’s thugs,” Mother Superion replied. “The one named Quebral was found unconscious and with a head injury near the door leading to the VIP section. Was that you?” she asked, nodding at Mary.

“No, that was Ava,” Mary said, beaming proudly.

“And the one named Lorenzo, he was seen unconscious inside a bathroom stall,” Mother Superion continued.

“That one was my doing,” Mary admitted.

“Anyway, Lorenzo talked. He seems to hate Beatrice a great deal,” Mother Superion said.

“He does,” Lilith confirmed.

“So her only basis for wanting to charge Beatrice with kidnapping is Lorenzo’s word?” Jillian asked. Her scrambled eggs remained untouched on her plate and were slowly turning cold.

“Unless my father’s other men speak up as well?” Lilith offered.

“No, they won’t. No one else would be speaking up about how Beatrice was truly involved unless anyone sitting around this table suddenly decides to betray her,” Mother Superion replied, looking each person in the eye. “On the basis of the testimony you gave the investigators the other day, the Organized Crime Unitof the FBI applied for a search warrant for Vicente’s mansion to seek the ledgers you spoke of.”

The other day, on Mary’s behest, Lilith went to the FBI to give her testimony on the arms cartel. The former agent told her it would help her case if she volunteered information rather than have the agents come find her and risk discovering other things in the process. So two days after the incident at the fight, Mary drove Lilith to her former workplace and accompanied her up until the front door. That was the furthest she would go.Lilith would have to brave the corridors of the FBI alone.

Two hours later, the woman walked out of the bureau with a smile on her lips. She poured out every single detail she managed to learn about her father’s operations in the past ten days when he tried to act as her mentor. Most importantly, she gave the location of the ledgers that contained the names and schemes of the interconnected system of organized crime in California and the neighboring states. Lilith also told the investigators how she, her brother, and her childhood friend had been pretty much imprisoned in her father’s mansion for all their lives. With a little prodding and a lot of tears in her eyes, she gave out the name of the childhood friend. Ava would have been proud.

_“Beatrice, the MMA fighter who was shot the other day?” the agent confirmed, disbelief in her voice._

_“Y-yes,” Lilith’s voice cracked._

_“Thank you,” the agent said, standing up from her seat. Lilith stood up as well. The space was far from what the taller woman imagined an interrogation room should be. She had expected to be led into a dark room, the doors locked, a one-way mirror lining one of the walls, and a lone lamp swinging above her head. Instead, she gave her testimony in a small room with space for one tiny desk. It looked like it used to be a supply closet._

_The agent led her out of the door and handed Lilith her card. “If anything else comes to mind, just get in touch. We’ll check the truth to these claims, and then we can begin to talk about witness protection.”_

_“Did you tell them how Beatrice was also practically imprisoned inside the mansion since she was a child like we planned?” Mary confirmed as Lilith reclaimed her seat inside the former agent’s car._

_“Yes,” Lilith replied. “That was not a lie.”_

“When the agents arrived at the mansion, no one was there to let them in,” Mother Superion narrated and Lilith was brought back to the present day. “No one alive, I mean.”

“What?” Lilith asked, confused.

“Your father’s men had all been killed. Most of them in the barracks while asleep. There were some in the hallway who’d been taken out with a knife to the neck. How many men does your father have?” Mother Superion asked.

“Twenty-eight, including Lorenzo and Quebral,” Lilith replied. She was left wide-eyed and had lost her appetite trying to imagine the scenario back in the mansion.

“Well, they counted twenty-six bodies. But they managed to retrieve the ledgers in your father’s office so the agents know you are telling the truth. The agents of the OCU will probably contact you within the day,” Superion said.

“Who could have done it?” Lilith whispered.

“Who could have orchestrated such a grand massacre against twenty-six armed men in a protected compound? Top of my head, your father’s former partners, men just as capable of such a crime. We don’t know yet which, but I could imagine they must have all scrambled to erase any evidence connecting them to Vicente when they heard the news of his death,” Mother Superion explained.

“But they don’t know the existence of the ledgers,” Mary added her theory.

“Thankfully, it seems that they don’t,” Mother Superion replied. “The ledgers were intact and untouched where Lilith said they would be. Lilith here could have her chance at immunity, maybe even witness protection.”

“You said that the prosecutor would only be relying on Lorenzo’s word unless anyone around this table suddenly decides to betray Beatrice. Well, that’s not exactly accurate, is it?” Lilith started. She did not want to speak it into the universe, but they had to prepare for every possibility. There were three other people who knew of the fighter’s involvement in the kidnapping. Shannon and Camila treated Beatrice as their friend so Lilith did not worry about them at all. The social media manager, Ava’s ex-boyfriend, and Blaire, meanwhile, did not know much about Beatrice and was only in on the plan in order to help Ava.

“Ava. Ava knows everything. The cartel, our plan to kidnap her...” Lilith recounted. “Beatrice told her the entire story in a letter, a letter that I saw her burn back at Blaire’s house. I’m afraid she has let go of whatever it was she felt for Beatrice and wants to see her behind bars.”

The table went silent at Lilith’s expression of her worries. It was Mary who finally spoke.

“I cannot convince her otherwise. Ava was a victim and if she thinks Beatrice has wronged her despite everything else she now knows about her, then that is her right,” Mary said sadly.

“The only thing we could do now is to make sure that Beatrice gets her best defense,” Jillian Salvius added.

“Which brings me, what is your strategy? Do you plan to argue that Beatrice was under duress the entire time, too afraid that Vicente would hurt Lilith and the little boy if she does not go with the plan?” Mother Superion asked.

“No, I don’t think that’s wise,” Jillian shook her head. “That would mean I would have to put Beatrice on the stand. She seems too noble for her own good. That also means Lilith would also have to testify and that’s too big a risk of committing perjury. You know too much,” she added, looking Lilith in the eye.

“She’s right. I think the best way to defend Beatrice is to deny her involvement in both the kidnapping and Vincent’s criminal activities. All of Vincent’s men are dead, her name is nowhere in the ledgers, and Vincent’s partners don’t know she holds the second-highest rank within the organization. The prosecutor would have to rely solely on Lorenzo’s testimony. That’s not too strong a case,” Mary said. “When Lilith went to the FBI the other day to give her testimony, she also let the agents of the OCU know that Beatrice was held by Vincent against her will since she was a child. That should help make our statements consistent.”

“And Lilith was not exactly lying when she said that,” Mother Superion remarked. “It could work. But we cannot go into a trial, or we’d be forced to mount a proper defense and lie. You think you can get the case thrown out before then?”

“I’ll be damned if I let this case reach trial. Beatrice had already been through too much,” Jillian remarked. “If for some reason, Vivi thinks she has a strong enough case against Beatrice to prosecute, I am going to request for a preliminary trial.”

“What happens, then?” Lilith asked.

“Preliminary trial is all about the prosecutor proving that they have enough evidence to proceed to an actual trial with a jury present,” Jillian explained. “We won’t have to mount a defense yet. Mary is right. Based on what we currently know, the prosecutor’s evidence is weak. I will try and get the case dismissed before we even reach trial.”

“If we can get the case dismissed during the preliminary trial, Beatrice is free without anyone having to commit perjury,” Mother Superion said and Jillian nodded. The former nun pushed her empty plate forward and stood up. “Thank you for breakfast. I better head to the office now and gather more information for us.”

“Thank you, as well, for all your assistance, Superion,” Jillian said.

“I’ll walk you to the door,” Mary offered, standing up to follow her former boss to the entrance of the apartment.

“Let’s discuss your situation, Lilith,” Jillian said, turning to the only other person left sitting around the table. “I need to put you in some kind of employment before we can even begin to try to gain custody of your brother. I can set you up temporarily as a secretary at my law firm until we find something more permanent. But you will have to take your GEDs first. What sort of education did you have?”

“Private tutor,” Lilith replied.

“I would assume the same for Beatrice?” Jillian asked as she took a sip of coffee. The taller woman nodded. Lilith looked at Mary who was still having a conversation with Mother Superion by the door. She did not know what to say. "And we would need to sort out your identification, find out which are legitimate and which were faked by your father."

“That’s if, you want me to be your lawyer,” Jillian added, winking at the girl with a smile. “I am, first and foremost, a family law attorney.”

“She’s the best. She changed my life,” Mary added, beaming, as she walked back to the dining room.

xxx

It had been a week since the double shooting after the UFC fight stole the headlines from the match itself. Crimson had been reigning as the new flyweight champion for seven whole days but has hardly given any interviews.In fact, she has instructed her father not to entertain any calls unless they were from her opponent’s manager or her coach, who had both promised her they would let her know the second Beatrice wakes up.The bullet that Adriel fired went past the fighter’s already cracked rib and lodged itself in a part of her liver. The doctors said there was no reason for her not to wake up after the surgery to remove the ballistic. Yet the multiple trauma to the head that she sustained during the fight caused her brain to swell and her otherwise healthy body found it hard to protect itself while recovering from a major surgery at the same time. The fighter had undergone several brain scans and another surgery. Although she has not yet regained consciousness, she had become stable enough that morning and was cleared for transfer from the ICU to a regular room.

The ICU allowed registered family members of the patient to come to visit, but Beatrice had none. The fighter was left by herself for the past seven days. She only had the sound of the machines connected to her body, and the occasional room nurse who dropped by three times a day to turn her body on its sides to prevent bed sores for company. Not that she would have known. She had not yet woken up.

“You wanted to be the first to know when she is allowed visitors,” the doctor said, as she led a woman in a pink hoodie and a pair of sunglasses through the corridors of the hospital. She kept her head ducked as they passed other people by. The nurses stationed at the triage began whispering, recognizing who it was.

“We just transferred her here this morning. Her coach and her manager wanted to be notified as soon as they are allowed to come, but I understand that you want your privacy. I will give you an hour before I ring them,” the doctor said, stopping in front of a bare white door. “Don’t worry about the nurses, they like to talk among themselves but they know better than to get a word out of the hospital.”

“Thank you, Uncle Mark,” the woman said, fighting the urge to give the man a hug in front of the hospital staff that were all trying but failing to pretend not to mind them. Mark Chen was her father’s best friend from medical school, although her old man quit just before residency when he met her mother and went to follow her to her hometown of Portugal. When Ava heard that Mark Chen was now Chief of Surgery at St. Areala General Hospital, the actress wasted no time in contacting him. She felt guilty that the first time she was reaching out to him after her parents’ funeral was when she needed to ask a favor, but he seemed just happy to finally be able to do something for the goddaughter that he hasn’t seen in years.

“I’ll leave you to it, you know where to find me,” he said, before winking at her and turning around to walk away.

Ava’s heart hammered through her chest. She did not know what brought her here in the first place, or what she wanted to say to a person who might not even hear, but the actress knew she at least had to say goodbye before she left.

The actress pulled the door open and stepped inside the sterile room. It was ten in the morning and so the lights to the room were out. The sunlight that slipped through the cracks of the window blinds that were down cast a gloomy brilliance on the stark white walls. Ava approached the window to draw the blinds, finally letting the sunlight bathe the industrial space.

When the room brightened up, Ava saw a plain gray couch pushed against one of the walls. Beside it was a small refrigerator. Attached to the wall above the couch was a standard flat-screen TV. The actress could see that it was unplugged, the wire almost dangling to the couch underneath.

The only sound that could be heard was the faint whirring of the machines attached to the stationary body that was lying on the bed in the middle of the room. Ava gasped when she saw her up close for the first time in weeks. Beatrice looked pale. The actress approached the fighter to touch her arm and her skin was chilled and clammy. She saw that the bruises on her beautiful face that she sustained from the fight have faded into a sickly yellow. Only the steady rise and fall of her chest that was the machine’s doing gave Ava the sign that Beatrice still had a foothold in this world.

Through the vein on her right arm, an IV drip fed nutrients and medicine into Beatrice’ body. The fighter’s mouth was slightly agape and connected to a machine. Ava noticed that her lips were dry and cracked, something that the actress had expected. She brought out the cherry flavored chapstick she bought from the convenience store downstairs and ripped open the packaging. She then pulled a plastic chair that was in front of the small table beside the bed and sat down next to Beatrice. Resting her elbows on the bed, she carefully applied the chapstick on the fighter’s parched lips around the valve that was in her mouth, locking in the moisture on the lips she longed to kiss.

Ava took a sniff of the air. It smelled strongly of antiseptic that the scent affronted the actress’ nostrils. She thought of asking her uncle to have flowers brought in. Spruce up the place a bit, liven it up, make it a space that would be welcoming to Beatrice once she wakes up. The actress was sure Camila would have other ideas on how to do that when she finally gets the message that she could visit. For now, Ava would enjoy the few minutes that she had alone with the fighter. She placed the chapstick on the bedside table and held Beatrice’ free hand. Her palm was the only patch of skin on her body that was warm. It tingled upon the actress’ touch.

“Hey,” Ava began. “It’s me.”

“I miss you,” she admitted.

Only the fighter’s mechanical breathing answered back.

“I know everything now. What happened to you as a child, the family you lost, where you were forced to grow up. Lilith and Mary told me everything,” Ava whispered near the fighter’s ear. “It couldn't have been easy finding out about what happened to your mother after not remembering anything about that time in your life for years. I wish I had been there for you.”

Ava brushed the strands of hair that were stuck on Beatrice' forehead away.

“Seeing the person you became, knowing the things you valued despite the cards you’ve been dealt, I couldn’t be any more proud of the woman that I love.”

She would have struggled to say it, but no one was there to hear her anyway.

“I love you, Beatrice. I still do. I’m not sure whether I have forgiven you for what you did. I am still confused about that part. I guess it would take a long time for me to completely heal from what happened, but you have to help me, Beatrice. You have to point me in the right direction. You have to wake up and give me the chance to forgive you.”

“Please, wake up, Beatrice,” Ava pleaded. A tear fell from her eye to the clean, white bedsheet beneath.

“You have to see what you started. This movement that began with Hollywood was soon embraced by workplaces and universities. Survivors everywhere - both men and women - are speaking up, supporting each other. All thanks to the sacrifice you made,” Ava narrated. She played absently with the fighter’s hand. Her palm was still vibrating.

“Two universities had asked me to speak, but I declined. I cannot be the face of this movement. I am just a witness to one court case. The multitudes of stories that are coming out are not mine to tell,” Ava sighed. “I wish you were here to tell me what to do. You always seemed to know what is right.”

“The investigators begged the movement to veer away from Hollywood until they’re done with the investigation. Some other women, even those not on my list, have expressed the intent to become witnesses, so the agents are taking their time to build a stronger case. They told me it might be months before we even begin with the trial and that I could be away for a while,” Ava said.

“And I am...going away,” the actress struggled to say. “For a month. I’m actually headed to the airport after this. I’m doing initial photography in Spain for this new movie I’m starring in. Battle Nun. Cheesy title isn’t it? I’m still trying to get them to change it. But I liked the script. Really spoke to me. It’s about this group of women and...well, you’ll have to see it. You’ll have to wake up and see it. I’m going to do my best so that it’s worth coming back to.”

“Please come back, Beatrice. I want to forgive you. I need to forgive you,” Ava wiped away the snot that was forming in her nose. “Please give me that chance.”

She brought the hand that she was holding up to her mouth, turned over the fighter’s palm, the one the mirrored hers, and kissed it.

“It’s my turn to save you. It’s your turn to be saved.”

The actress sat in silence with Beatrice for the next thirty minutes until it was time for her to hop on a car and get to the airport.

Three hours later, the fighter woke up. The first thing she noted was the taste of cherry on her mouth, the smell of the flowers by her bedside table, and the tingling, wet feeling in her palm that lingered long after the actress was gone.

xxx

“Adriel took a plea for voluntary manslaughter against Vincent and attempted voluntary manslaughter against Beatrice,” Mary announced to the dining room of her apartment during breakfast. “Guess he had to, hundreds of people in the stadium saw him fire those shots. Not to mention those who were watching on different live streams.”

“How do you know? Your friends from the bureau are still updating you? Superion?” Lilith asked as she took a sip of her coffee. She looked at the time on the kitchen wall clock. Seven in the morning. She was going to be late for work if she did not hurry up.

“I just saw it on Twitter,” Mary replied, showing the screen of her phone to the other woman.

“Don’t worry about the time, I’ll drive you to work,” the former agent added when she noticed the tall woman glancing at the clock.

“You don’t have to, really, Mary. I can take care of myself now,” Lilith politely rejected the offer. The former agent had been out of work for more than a month now, and Lilith knew the gas money could go a long way. The taller woman could not wait for payday to get her very first paycheck and offer to help Mary with rent.

“Don’t be silly, I need to go see Jillian anyway. She’s offered me some work doing part-time private investigation,” Mary replied.

“Really? That’s great! We can be officemates, then?” Lilith replied expectantly.

“Not really, Jillian’s offering me contract employment, and I’d mostly be on the field,” Mary replied. Within three days of their first meeting, Jillian Salvius had set up Lilith temporarily as her secretary at the law firm. Her own secretary was pregnant and finally had to take months off from work. Blaire Kinney had expressed her interest in helping Lilith get cast as a model in upcoming fashion shows and JC said he would reach out to his contacts in magazines to help her find extra work. Lilith has never been presented with so many options her whole life, and it overwhelmed her. The monotony and routine of her job at Jillian’s firm helped ease her into this world of independence.

Lilith stared at the dregs of coffee left at the bottom of her cup. There was curiosity in her eyes when she spoke next.

“You think Diego and I would get some money for damages? We are a murdered man’s only heirs. How about Beatrice? She was the victim,” Lilith thought. She had no idea how much she could get from Adriel, but whatever amount would surely be a big help to Mary.

“Most likely. We should ask Jillian about that later. On another note, how do you think Beatrice is doing?” Mary asked, gesturing at the couch.

“She left early. She said she wanted to go for a walk to prepare for her physical therapy session this afternoon,” Lilith replied. “Her rib is still immobilized but she’s trying to gain the strength she lost in her limbs in the two weeks she spent lying in the hospital. The doctor said she’s kicking it in rehab. Knowing Beatrice, she probably wants to get back in shape as soon as humanly possible.”

“But she’s not pushing herself too far?” Mary asked, already knowing the answer. The fighter had been living with her since having been discharged from the hospital two weeks ago. Beatrice had spent another week confined to the hospital after she woke up. She had nowhere else to go. Shannon and Camila had offered for her to stay with them, but both lived back in Fresno and Jillian had advised her client against getting out of L.A. until her legal issues had been sorted out. So Mary had offered her own humble home and tried to set up Beatrice comfortably on the couch. The fighter accepted the offer, but refused any kind of help afterward, even when it took her fifteen minutes to get to the bathroom by herself.

“It’s Beatrice. There’s no way she won’t push herself too far,” Lilith replied, looking once more at the clock. “We better go. You don’t want to be late for your first day of work.”

“Right,” Mary replied. “Go grab your things, I’ll take care of this,” she said, gesturing at the mess on the wooden table.

xxx

“Oh good, you’re here,” Jillian said when she saw Mary stride through the door of her office. It was eight forty-five in the morning. Through her office’s glass wall, the lawyer saw Lilith get settled on her own desk outside. Jillian gestured for her new secretary to come inside.

“Good morning, Jillian, you need anything?” Lilith greeted her boss. Mary was already seated at the chair in front of her large desk.

“You guys came in at the right time. I was just on the phone with Beatrice. She’s just been arrested by the feds,” Jillian said. The color on Lilith’s face drained.

“What? Where?” Lilith asked.

“At your apartment,” Jillian replied, looking at Mary.

“But we just came from the apartment,” Mary replied.

“You must have missed her, then. She said she was going home from a walk,” Jillian replied.

“And the charges?” Mary asked.

“Kidnapping, as we expected,” Jillian replied. “And tampering with an informant.”

“Right, so you’re headed to the courthouse for her arraignment?” Mary asked.

“Yes. Lilith, I would need Beatrice’ files, and the case briefs I asked you to prepare the other day, please,” Jillian said. “And you’re coming with me to the courthouse.”

Mary watched Lilith walk out of the office in haste to collect the materials Jillian asked for. She waited for her to get out of earshot before she spoke again.

“Jillian, not to pressure you but, this is your fight now. You’re the only one we could count on,” Mary said, leaning forward to highlight the earnestness in her voice.

“Relax, it is just an arraignment, Mary,” Jillian replied, as she put her white blazer back on.

“And what of bail?” Mary asked.

“I’m not letting her get detained,” Jillian replied. “Don’t worry about where I’m getting the money,” she added, knowing what the former agent was truly concerned about.

xxx

When Jillian met her client twenty minutes later, the fighter was sitting at a bench outside the courtroom flanked by two federal agents at each side. Lilith gasped at the sight of Beatrice. Her friend was wearing a pair of light gray jogger pants, a white tank top, and the elastic brace for her ribs beneath a thin, yellow jacket. Her eyes were cast on her cuffed wrists that rested on her lap.

“Handcuffs, really? Come on. My client is not a threat. Those are not really necessary,” Jillian told one of the agents. Beatrice lifted her chin at the sound of her voice. There was relief in the fighter’s eyes upon seeing two familiar faces. Lilith felt like she was punched in the gut upon noticing the shift in Beatrice’ emotions. No matter how brave she knew her best friend to be, she must have felt afraid and alone when she got arrested. The taller woman half wished she did not push Mary to leave the apartment early so they would not have missed Beatrice’ return.

“Ma’am, your client is a professionally trained fighter,” the agent replied.

“Who was shot on the liver, has sustained a broken rib, and woke up from a coma just three weeks ago,” Jillian reasoned. “Meanwhile, both of you are armed.”

The agent shook his head and gave the lawyer an irritated look, but he took a key from his jacket pocket to uncuff the fighter.

“May I please confer with my client in private?” Jillian said. The same agent stood up and motioned for his partner to do the same.

“We’ll be watching from that corner,” he said before he walked away with his partner to the end of the hall. It was nine in the morning and the courthouse was busy with the first hearings of the day. No one paid attention to, nor seemed to recognize the fighter. There were no members of the press yet. The word must not yet have spread that she had been arrested.

“So what happens now?” Beatrice asked, speaking as she looked back down at her hands. There was a stillness in her voice that sent goosebumps to Lilith’s arms.

“You’re going to be read your charges, and you are to enter a plea of not guilty. The judge will ask about the bond so you won’t have to get detained as you await trial,” Jillian explained.

“What if I don’t want to enter a plea of not guilty?” Beatrice asked, meeting her lawyer’s eyes.

“No, you can’t!” Lilith said, kneeling immediately in front of her friend but her boss shot her a look that told her she’d take care of the situation.

“Beatrice, speaking as your lawyer, I cannot advise you to enter a plea of not guilty, especially when we know that the evidence against you is weak,” Jillian replied.

“But we know the truth,” the fighter whispered. “We know I did it, whether they have proof or not.”

“Yes, yes, but what they don’t know is what caused you to do it, what caused you to do everything you ever did since you were eight years old. You were a victim, Beatrice, you’ve been through enough,” Jillian replied. “Please, give me a chance to defend you.”

It took a while before the fighter spoke again. “But, Ava. She would want to see me behind bars for what I did. I don’t want to fight her on that.”

“No one wants to see you in jail, Beatrice. Not even Ava,” the lawyer answered.

“You can’t know that,” Beatrice replied. “Lilith told me that Ava burnt the notebook where I wrote my last letter to her. That means she must despise me.”

“Didn’t you ever stop to consider that Ava might have burnt the notebook because it contained the only remaining piece of evidence of what you did? That letter was your confession for crying out loud,” Jillian replied. “In any case, you are lucky that Ava destroyed it.”

“Look, let us save you, Beatrice. After Ava, after me, after all the other girls, it is your turn. Please,” Lilith pleaded to her oldest friend, taking the fighter’s hands in hers. “We can’t leave you behind like this, but you must let us do that for you.”

“You are my client, Beatrice. As your lawyer, I will do as you wish. But please, just think about it,” Jillian said.

“They are calling us,” the FBI agents approached the fighter once more. Jillian motioned for her client to stand up and follow the sheriff and the agents through the double doors of the courtroom. The sheriff led Beatrice to sit on achair in front of a desk on the right side of the room and Jillian took a seat beside her client. She saw that the judge’s bench was still empty. United States Attorney Vivian Valdez and her co-counsels filed into the courtroom and approached the desk on the other side. The prosecutor had cut her auburn hair into a short bob, but otherwise, Jillian thought that she did not change a bit and had aged only a few years since they left Georgetown almost two decades ago. Vivi Valdez gave her former classmate a formal nod before taking her seat.

“All rise,” the bailiff’s voice boomed throughout the small courthouse. “This court is now in session, the Honorable Carmela D’ Angelis presiding.”

“Thank you, be seated, please,” the judge said, taking her own seat behind the bench. The bailiff announced the case number and the judge cleared her throat before she spoke.

“Present in the courtroom for purposes of her arraignment is...” Beatrice looked the judge in the eye, but she zoned out the moment she heard her name, the name Padre Vicente christened her with. She remembered learning her other name, the one her mother gave her, for the first time. She remembered running through the streets of L.A., almost getting hit by a truck, seeing Ava’s face on a perfume ad, and coming back to her senses. Even when she did not know it, Ava was there for her during that confusing, tumultuous time. Did the actress really burn her letter to protect her? Was she willing to forgive her?

“And her counsel who I understand has been retained, Jillian Salvius,” Judge D’Angelis continued. “Also representing the United States of America is United States Attorney Vivian Valdez and Assistant United States Attorneys John Clement and Harry Murray.”

“At this time, it is my duty to advise you of your rights and to conduct your arraignment,” the judge said. The Honorable D’Angelis read the fighter her rights. Beatrice was silent the entire time, thinking that she did not deserve any.

“And finally, you will be asked how you plead, if you want to plead guilty and you do not have a lawyer, the court will assign counsel for you so you may have the full understanding of your constitutional rights before entering a plea of guilty,” the judge concluded. “You understand that, ma’am?”

Jillian nudged Beatrice on the shoulder. “Yes, your honor,” the fighter answered.

“Your honor, we would like to wave the reading of the charges against the defendant,” Jillian said.

“And the plea?” the judge asked.

Jillian looked at her client by her side. Beatrice’ eyes were cast down.

“Does your client need more time, counsel?” Judge D’Angelis looked at the fighter who was not willing to meet her eyes.

“Beatrice...” Jillian whispered to her ear. “If you need more time...”

“No, I...” Beatrice whispered back. Would jail really be that bad? She had been locked away in Padre Vicente’s shadow since she was eight, been beaten, starved. What difference does it make? Different walls, same shackles.

Yet there was a chance that Ava has got her back. Not just the actress. Lilith, and Superion, and her lawyer Jillian, who she just met the night before the fight. Mary, who she did not see eye to eye with merely a month ago had been advocating for her, making sure she had the best possible defense. Camila and Shannon, who had known the truth about who she was yet never left her side. When they were formulating the plan to rescue Ava, the fighter thought that these women banded together solely for the actress. Yet they were there for her, too. And the best way she could thank them for all their help was, it was...

_Of course, it was to help herself, too._

Beatrice nodded at her lawyer and gave her a weak smile. Jillian tugged the edge of her lips subtly upward in return.

“My client pleads not guilty, your honor, on both charges. And we would like to request a preliminary trial. We believe that the prosecution does not have enough evidence and probable cause to require my client to stand on trial.”

“Your response?” Judge D’Angelis asked, eyeing the table of the prosecution. It was Vivian Valdez who stood up.

“Your honor, the probable cause for requiring the defendant to stand trial lies in the testimony of a credible source,” Vivian Valdez responded.

“A source who we believe has every motive to turn on my client,” Jillian replied.

“Your honor, my witness has known the defendant since she was a child -” Valdez said but the judge interrupted her.

“I’ve heard enough. Counsel for the prosecution can establish probable cause in the preliminary hearing, the counsel for the defendant can cross-examine the witness. I am granting the request for a preliminary hearing,” Judge D’Angelis said.

“Thank you, your honor,” Jillian replied. She kept a poker face but deep inside, she smiled. That was her first win for this case.

“And the bond?” the judge said, eyeing the prosecution once more.

Vivian Valdez stood up once more and gave the court an amount.

‘Shit,’ Beatrice thought. She immediately knew that the bail that the prosecutor was recommending was a sham. There was no way she would be able to source that kind of money or any kind of money at all. She might be spending her next days detained, after all.

“The defense accepts the amount,” Jillian said without missing a beat. The only person in the courtroom who looked more shocked than Beatrice did was the counsel from the other table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note on the proceedings: I consulted with someone from the US DOJ (two people actually). While they said that the proceedings here are not practicable, they are also not impossible, so there’s that. Still, any mistakes are mine as I might have been asking the wrong questions.


	16. Justice is the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for spacewritermonkey, the sole reason for this chapter existing :P
> 
> Erratum on the last chapter. When Beatrice was read her charges during her arraignment, her real name was used. I edited that out. Her real name was not yet used at that point. She was arraigned as Beatrice [whatever surname Vicente gave her].

“I still think it was not proper to pay two hundred thousand dollars just for bail,” Beatrice said. She was sitting three days later after her arraignment inside Jillian’s office in the law firm. Mary sat beside her on the couch.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You have a broken rib, a part of your liver had to be taken out, and you are undergoing physical therapy. There is no way we would allow you to languish in detention,” Lilith replied, looking up from the screen of the laptop that the firm issued her for work.

“I-” Beatrice started, but she really did not know how to answer back. She did not know where the money for the bond came from. Jillian was elusive about the topic and only explained that having been a lawyer for indigent clients for decades has taught her how to source money everywhere for bail. Her counsel only reassured her that there were no strings attached to the generosity extended to the fighter.

“Earlier this morning, the U.S. attorney has sent me a copy of the evidence she intends to present at the trial,” Jillian said as she approached the party on her couch. She was reviewing a folder before turning it over on the coffee table so that the document would face the others. “Here you go. Vivi has got some nerve to charge Beatrice, she has nothing on her.”

“Why do you think she is going after Beatrice, then? Do you think she’s on Adriel’s payroll, too? Maybe they are trying to find another suspect to absolve him of the kidnapping or to lower his charges,” Mary theorized.

“No, I don’t think so. Vivi is an upstanding civil servant, that I am sure of, if not a little hungry for fame. Maybe she thinks that these charges against Beatrice would result in a sensational trial,” Jillian replied. “Just imagine. The kidnapping of a Hollywood A-lister by a UFC fighter who is quite popular as well. Media fodder. I could already imagine the TV adaptation.”

“And the kidnapping of a Hollywood A-lister by a Hollywood executive is not sensational enough?” Mary replied, not convinced.

“Mary, Adriel merely paid for someone else to kidnap Ava. Vivi thinks Beatrice was the one who actually did it. Of course, that would be more sensational,” Jillian said.

The fighter looked at the list of witnesses listed down on the discovery brief together with the nature of their testimony. All in all, there were five.

_**Lorenzo Medina** _

_**Antonio Quebral** _

_**Klaus Janssen** _

_**Eli Bennett** _

“Who the hell is Eli Bennett?,” Mary said, peaking over the fighter’s shoulder to read the brief as well.

“Custodian of Records from Fresno County, called to present Beatrice’ birth certificate as proof of her true name,” Jillian replied. “To support the argument that the plan to kidnap Ava had been in place years before and that Beatrice has changed her name precisely to deceive Ava.”

“Oh, that’s stupid. Lorenzo and Quebral had been with us since I was fourteen and Beatrice, eleven. They had been calling her that name since then. You could easily elicit that fact from them when you cross-examine them,” Lilith said. “Is the U.S. attorney seriously going to argue that there was a plan to kidnap Ava twelve years ago even though the investigation on Adriel had just started last year?”

“I know, I know. I’d be happy to stipulate the fact of Beatrice’ real name if Vivi had asked me to,” Jillian said. “I have to confirm something from both of you.”

Jillian sat in front of Lilith and Beatrice.

“Beatrice’ name wouldn’t really be in any of Vicente’s ledgers?,” Jillian asked.

“No, no it won’t,” Beatrice and Lilith said at the same time, but the taller woman rested her back on the couch to let her best friend speak.

“He thought I would take offense, but he told me that was just the way things were. He was very secretive about those ledgers. I believe I was the only one who was allowed to read them,” Beatrice said, then looked at Lilith.

“Save for me, when he tried to train me as his second-in-command during my last week in the mansion,” Lilith added.

“He hid those ledgers in plain sight. But he was afraid that one of his partners might see those folders and find out that the second-in-line to his organization was a woman. He told me that in his circle, there was contempt for women. A contempt which he emphasized several times that he did not share,” Beatrice said and Lilith rolled her eyes. “But one he must adhere to if he wanted the business to thrive. If he wanted to retain his place in the circle.”

“The cartel, his business partners, they were more than an organized crime ring,” the fighter continued. “They are a brotherhood of men. Like a secret, exclusive order. You know what often happens in those.”

“So Vicente eliminated your role in his organization from his records. He also would not let you sit in meetings nor even introduce you to his partners, all because his circle hated women?” Jillian confirmed. Beatrice and Lilith nodded.

“Then we’ll use their hate to our advantage,” Jillian replied with resolve in her voice. “I just have to find a way to introduce those ledgers as evidence without any of you having to testify.”

“I understand why Beatrice could not testify, but why could I not?” Lilith asked. “I will do anything for her.”

“Because you also know too much. Once you find yourself on the witness stand, you open yourself to cross-examination and perjury. There must be some other way,” Jillian said, now pacing the floor of her office.

The fighter mulled over the question, looking outside the window at the cityscape of downtown Los Angeles as she did so. She knew the real reason Jillian did not want to put her on the witness stand. The lawyer was right. After Ava burned the notebook, there was no piece of evidence left to convict her beyond a reasonable doubt, save for her own confession. The fighter knew her lawyer still did not trust her completely to defend herself. And she might be right. But the difference now was that Beatrice was trying.

“Lorenzo,” the fighter started and Jillian stopped pacing to listen to what her client had to say. “Lorenzo knows that these ledgers exist, Lorenzo knows that they contain detailed accounts of all the cartel’s transactions because Padre Vicente was always proud of how he has organized those folders. He would always say it in front of Lorenzo, tell him how he must be as organized and detailed as he was if he wanted to move up in the organization.”

“But the catch is he has not actually seen what was inside those ledgers. Not in their entirety at least, maybe just a few entries. He has not gained my Padre’s complete trust. He must still believe that inside those folders would be evidence of Beatrice’ misdeeds,” Lilith added. “Lorenzo can testify to what Padre Vicente said because the rules on evidence are not that strict in a preliminary hearing, right?”

Lilith had been doing her homework. Jillian beamed at her secretary proudly. Maybe when her other secretary returns from giving birth, she could recommend the woman to the other partners.

“Yes, that could work,” Jillian replied. “I could get Lorenzo to reveal the existence of the ledgers when I do my cross on him, make him testify that Padre Vicente said those ledgers would contain the complete details of every transaction. I will make him commit to that answer and get the answer placed on record.”

“And when the court sees that there is not a single mention of Beatrice in those ledgers, they will find out that the witness the prosecution has relied upon was not to be trusted at all,” Mary concluded. “Brilliant. You think you could make Lorenzo fall into that trap?”

“Mary, I make people admit to all sorts of things for a living. My cross-examination is like a truth serum. Family law could be as bloody as criminal law, you know. Minus the actual blood.” Jillian said. “Leave it all to me. I just need to prepare. But you, however, need to go and follow the man I asked you to tail.”

“Alright, alright, I was just checking up on how all of you were doing,” Mary replied, grumbling as she stood up from the couch and picked up her backpack. In truth, she could not have been more grateful that Jillian found her a job.

“And you need to go to physical therapy,” Lilith reminded Beatrice.

xxx

The preliminary hearing was scheduled exactly fourteen days after the arraignment. Unlike Beatrice’ arrest and subsequent first appearance, the press had caught wind of the next step in the proceedings and were prepared for the day that Beatrice the Beast would once again climb the stairs of the federal courthouse to face the justice system.

In the days leading up to the preliminary trial, the press had speculated time and again why the U.S. attorney allowed the determination of probable cause to go through the impractical stage of a preliminary hearing instead of a grand jury where the defendant is not allowed the presence of a counsel. A sister of Vivian Valdez from her sorority back in Georgetown Law who was interviewed for a news segment by the CBS recounted how the U.S. attorney and the counsel for defense were debate rivals back in law school. Jillian Salvius was also reported to be a pledge for the same greek society, until differences with Vivian Valdez, who was already a member, caused her to quit the initiation process. The sorority sister said that the defense counsel’s request for a preliminary hearing seemed like a challenge, one which the U.S. attorney will not back down from.

Legal experts called to comment on the case often cited Jillian Salvius’ so-called lack of expertise in criminal law defense. In his column for the Los Angeles Times, former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman remarked how the counsel for the defense is a respected women’s rights and family law attorney, who had no criminal law experience outside her Criminal Justice class in the first year of law school. Jillian slammed the paper down in irritation on the desk of her office after she read that line and Lilith jumped in surprise.

Established criminal defense lawyers began offering their services to Beatrice, jumping on the opportunity to be part of not onlyan enigmatic case, but a prelude to the big sex trafficking cases that they anticipate are about to shake Hollywood in the next months. Jillian Salvius politely declined each and every proposition on behalf of her client.

Within two days from her arraignment, Beatrice found that she could no longer go on her daily walks as she was being accosted by the press and by the TMZ at every corner. After much convincing, the fighter finally consented to Mary driving her to her physical therapy sessions, which the ex-agent was more than happy to do. Jillian signed the fighter up as a guest in the gym inside her office building, but everyone in Los Angeles, even those not remotely partial to mixed martial arts, seemed to know her face. Within the day, Camila found videos of Beatrice seemingly struggling on the treadmill. The fighter had to make do with climbing up and down the stairs of Mary’s apartment to clock in her daily physical activity.

Another cause for mystery was the victim, herself, Ava Silva, who seemed to be nowhere near the proceedings. The media speculated that she only accepted the role for her next project because most of the filming was to be done abroad. Why else would an up and coming actress who just starred as the lead in a popular Disney live-action agree to don a character named Alba Baptista in a movie about nuns that was not a remake of Sister Act?

Beatrice and the entire defense team was able to hold themselves together for an entire two weeks, and today, the next big battle was to be won. If everything goes Jillian’s way, it would be their last. The fighter would walk out of the hallowed halls of the federal court as a free woman. The lawyer held her client firmly around the shoulder as they climbed the steps of the courthouse. Beside them were Mary and Lilith who had a firm hold over the case files. Reporters hounded the party at the scene as soon as they were on sight, but their message was as clear as it was in the past two weeks: they would be making no statements. Anything that was to be said was to be said in court. Beyond the flash of camera bulbs going off all around them, Jillian eyed the U.S. attorney who was making her way to court at the same time. Her lips were sealed as well.

The fighter and her lawyer made their way to the entrance of the federal court with the help of extra security personnel that were deployed for that morning’s event. Of course, the media was not banned inside Judge D’Angelis’ courtroom, but at least, they were required to respect and uphold peace inside the court unlike their peers outside.

Reporters began taking notes as soon as Beatrice was escorted inside the courtroom and to her seat. One journalist noted what she was wearing: a simple unbuttoned yellow plaid flannel on top of a plain white shirt, a pair of khaki pants, and white Stan Smiths. Her grey elastic brace was visible on top of the shirt as it was on the day of her arrest. Her long hair was tied in a bun, with the shorter raven strands framing her forehead. As usual, there was an unreadable look on her face.

It was Mary’s idea to make the fighter look more comely and amiable. She suggested that Beatrice wear a pencil skirt and a light blue blouse beneath a white cardigan. But Jillian wanted her to come as she is. The lawyer was afraid that if the fighter arrived in court with her hair smoothed down, a pair of white pearl on her ears, and pointed-toe shoes, she would look like a fraud trying to sell a story to the court.

The judge’s bench was still empty, but the courtroom was packed with spectators. Beatrice tried to find familiar faces as she was led down the aisle to the table for the defense. One by one, friends revealed their faces to her. There was Camila, smiling beside Shannon. Blaire, Chanel, JC, and Mother Superion were also present. At a far corner of the room was Crimson, all in her five feet eleven inches glory, trying to make herself look small. Her wild, curly hair that was let loose and her brooding manner gave her away. The other fighter sent Beatrice a curt nod as their eyes met.

Judge D’Angelis did not give Beatrice a chance to sit down as the bailiff asked the entire room to rise for her arrival. From the other table, U.S. Attorney Vivian Valdez stood up with her co-counsels. Behind the table for the prosecution was Lorenzo Medina. It was the first time that the fighter was seeing him since Padre Vicente took Ava from the camp. The big guy leered at her and she turned back her attention to the judge who asked them to be seated. When all the hearing preliminaries were done and over with, Judge D’ Angelis spoke.

“I would like to remind the parties that this is just a preliminary hearing. Our sole purpose is to determine whether the prosecution has probable cause to charge the accused, and to force the accused to stand trial. There will be no determination of guilt. Please limit the evidence you will be presenting with this in mind,” she said, and then ordered the bailiff to swear the first witness in.

The sheriff led Lorenzo to the witness stand and the bailiff approached him to swear him in. He raised his right hand.

“Can you please state your full name and other personal circumstances,” the bailiff said.

“I am Lorenzo Angelo Medina, thirty-four years old, single, from Fresno, California,” Lorenzo replied. The smirk on his face was gone and he put on an innocent face. Lilith wanted to punch him.

”Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” the bailiff asked.

”I swear,” Lorenzo replied. The bailiff turned to the judge.

“The witness has been sworn in, your honor,” the bailiff said.

”Your witness, prosecutor,” the judge remarked to the table for the prosecution.

Vivian Valdez approached the witness on the stand.

“Good morning,” she began. “Mr. Medina, can you please tell this court what your relation is to the accused?”

“I lived with the accused in the mansion of Padre Vicente in Fresno. I have known her since she was eleven,” Lorenzo replied.

“Is this Padre Vicente the same Vicente that was shot and killed by Adriel Alonso in another criminal case?” Valdez asked.

“Yes, they are one and the same,” Lorenzo replied.

Jillian knitted her brows. The witness sounded rehearsed. It would be easier to break him once he goes off-script.

“And what is the relation of the accused with the one you referred to as Padre Vicente, with respect to this case?” Valdez continued her direct examination.

“Beatrice, together with Padre Vicente, planned to kidnap the actress Ava Silva. The job was a contract with Adriel Alonso. The plan was for Padre to rent a house in Malibu for a few weeks, near Ava’s house. We got lucky that the one next to hers was actually available for lease. Once Beatrice has moved in, two of our men stalked Ava while she was jogging around the village. The plan was to scare her into thinking that Adriel was out to get her and that the only person she could trust to keep her safe was Beatrice. Beatrice showed up just in time to rescue her. That was rehearsed. Someone broke into Ava’s house that same night. Again, Beatrice came in at the right time to rescue Ava. That was all for show,” Lorenzo narrated.

“And then, what happened next?” Valdez prodded.

“And then Ava called a cop. We did not know that she had been in touch with the authorities before. The cop came and investigated the break-in. Padre told me that Beatrice came up with a brilliant plan to whisk Ava away from the cop without anyone suspecting. He was so proud of her then,” Lorenzo continued.

“Objection, no personal knowledge,” Jillian stated, standing up.

Judge D’Angelis shook her head. “Overruled. This is just a preliminary hearing, counsel.”

Vivian Valdez smirked at her opposing counsel before continuing.

“And what was this brilliant plan, allegedly of Beatrice’, that you are speaking of?” Valdez continued.

“Beatrice would invite Ava to her training camp in North Dakota, far away from the cop, on the pretense that Adriel would not think to look for her there. That’s where we would take her,” Lorenzo replied.

“And how did Beatrice plan to accomplish that?” Valdez asked.

“By deceiving Ava,” Lorenzo replied. “Pretending to make friends with her and convincing her that she’ll keep her safe.”

“Would you say that Beatrice has always planned on deceiving Ava?” Valdez asked.

“Objection, the question calls for an opinion,” Jillian stood up.

“I’ll allow it,” the judge replied. “Please answer the question.”

It took everything for the counsel for the defense not to glare at her.

“Yes,” Lorenzo answered.

“And why do you think that?” Valdez prodded.

“Because she never told Ava her real name,” Lorenzo said. “Padre Vicente had names for us for when we go on operations. Mine was Samuel. Obviously, we use our real names around the mansion. But not Beatrice. She lived and breathed that name as if she was born with it. It was the only name she used, even with us.”

“So, Beatrice, that is not the real name of the accused?” Valdez asked.

“No. Far from it,” Lorenzo replied.

“And you know her real name?” Valdez asked.

“Yes,” Lorenzo replied. He stared at Beatrice. There was an anger in his eyes that had always been present whenever he gazed upon the fighter, one that had always puzzled Beatrice in all the years they had been together. The fighter had tried to keep in her own lane, did only as Padre Vicente told her, kept out of everyone’s business. As far as she knew, she never did anything that should anger Lorenzo, save for that time he confronted him about hurting Diego, a confrontation that escalated in fists and kicks. Yet Beatrice knew that Lorenzo held contempt for her way before that incident.

The witness locked eyes with Beatrice as he told the prosecutor the fighter’s real name. He wanted to make sure he saw the hurt on Beatrice’ face at the revelation that everyone knew who she was all along, everyone but her.

“Did you also know?” the fighter whispered to Lilith beside her.

“No, of course not. Never,” Lilith replied, reassuring her best friend. Her hand moved to her wrist to rub her thumb above Beatrice’ pulsating skin. The fighter looked back at Lorenzo. The witness was still speaking.

“Padre Vicente told me Beatrice’ real name the day that I first met her,” Lorenzo concluded.

The fighter was stunned. She was eleven when she first met Lorenzo. How long has Padre known?

The prosecutor turned to the judge.

“Your Honor, the prosecution is going to present later the birth certificate containing the real name of the accused. After which, we are going to move for the amendment of the information to reflect her true name, the one she was born with,” Valdez said.

“Noted,” the judge replied.

“Your witness,” Vivian Valdez said, turning away from the bench and speaking to her opposing counsel.

For a split second as the prosecutor turned away from her main witness, Beatrice saw something shift in Lorenzo’s face. The man leered at the U.S. attorney. In the blink of an eye, the expression was gone and the witness’ face went back to the innocent front that he has been putting on since he was placed on the stand. Yet the fighter knew what that meant. It was a look Lorenzo reserved for her alone. Now, she has just seen the man look at Vivian Valdez the same way, another woman, albeit behind her back.

And then she understood.

Lorenzo used to look at her that way because she was a woman that was put in charge by Padre Vicente, his second-in-command, his lieutenant. The witness knew the standards of the brotherhood of criminals that his now-dead boss belonged to, it was the same yardstick that Padre would say Lorenzo failed to meet. Yet in the witness’ eyes, it wasPadre Lorenzo who veered away from the rules when he placed a girl above all of them, save himself. Lorenzo resented Beatrice for it.

Now, he resents Vivian Valdez because she was a woman who was in charge, who was calling all the shots, and much like with Beatrice, a woman he had no choice but to cooperate with. Beatrice looked at her own counsel, who nodded at her in return. Jillian saw it, too.

The counsel for the defense stood up to approach the witness on the stand.

“You met Beatrice when she was eleven and you were nineteen, correct?” Jillian asked.

“Yes.”

“When you met her, I assume you have observed how differently she looked from Padre Vicente or his wife,” Jillian said.

“No. I never really put much thought about it,” Lorenzo replied.

“But it must have become clear to you how Beatrice did not belong to Padre Vicente’s family,” Jillian said.

“I just thought that she might be his daughter with another woman,” Lorenzo replied.

“An adult like you did not once think what a child was doing inside the mansion of a criminal mastermind, a child who looks so different she must not have been family?” Jillian prodded.

“I told you, I already thought she was his daughter with another woman. I never really thought much nor cared for Beatrice, ma’am,” Lorenzo replied. Beatrice could feel that he was getting impatient.

“But you care enough to implicate her in a crime that was actually your doing?” Jillian asked.

“Objection,” Valdez said.

“Your honor, I was merely restating what the witness has already admitted when he took his plea deal,” Jillian reasoned. The judge gave her a stern look.

“Overruled. However, the counsel for the defense is warned to veer away from this line of questioning,” Judge D’Angelis stated.

“Thank you, your honor,” Jillian replied. “So, what is it, Mr. Witness?”

“I was merely the muscle. Padre Vicente planned the whole scheme with Beatrice,” Lorenzo replied.

“You are eight years older than Beatrice. You were already grown when you entered the organization, while she was but a child. I assume you have far more experience. Not to say you’re bigger, you look stronger,” Jillian said. “Most of all, you are a MAN,” she stressed the last word.

The word ‘ _objection_ ’ was stuck inside Vivian’s throat. She was curious where her opposing counsel was heading.

“So why would Padre Vicente be creating as intricate and important a plan as you were describing with Beatrice and not yourself?” Jillian finished.

“Because Padre never believed in me, in my abilities, in what I could do. Instead, he placed her in charge, a woman!” Lorenzo seethed. His hands gripped the edges of the witness stand, his knuckles turning white. “That’s why he ended up dead on the arena floor, because he keeps listening to women. Your lot will be the undoing of us all!”

”The witness is ordered to calm down,” Judge D’Angelis said.

Vivian Valdez’ head ached for the first time that day. Her star witness just revealed himself to be a misogynist. Big deal. She told herself that she’ll rectify it during re-direct, make it look like the defense was just twisting his words. Meanwhile, she thought that Jillian just revealed herself to be totally devoid of a plan. She must really be grasping at straws to get Lorenzo to reveal his character this early in the proceedings. She withheld her objection. She wanted a challenge, after all.

“If in the end, this Padre Lorenzo never believed in you, why, tell me, Mr. Witness, why should we?” Jillian asked. She just dropped the bait. Vivi will object any second now but she knew she had the witness riled up.

When Lorenzo’s answer came, it was calmer than Jillian had ever anticipated.

“If you don’t want to believe me, look at Padre Lorenzo’s ledgers, then,” Lorenzo said.

The witness took the bait. Jillian positioned herself to reel him into the shore.

“Ledgers? What ledgers are you speaking of, Mr. Witness?” Jillian asked, feigning innocence.

“His ledgers. Padre Lorenzo’s folders where he writes about the details of every plan, every transaction, down to the color of his socks, the food that was ordered, and the names of those with him,” Lorenzo stated. “You would find Beatrice’ name all over. Just browse the entries during the past six months. There should be an entry on the planning stage of the kidnapping and when we actually took Ava from the training camp.”

Vivian Valdez smiled. Jillian achieved nothing with her cross-examination but to reveal more evidence for the prosecution.

“These entries, you’ve seen them?” Jillian asked, smoothing her brows for effect.

“Not every entry. I was not allowed to open the ledgers unless Padre showed them to me,” Lorenzo admitted. “But in the weeks when Beatrice was executing the plan to kidnap Ava in North Dakota and was not available for consultation, Padre would show me some of his entries just to confirm a detail or two. I saw how detailed the entries were. He would sign at the bottom. I know how his signature looks like, I can identify it.”

“And these ledgers, where would they be found?” Jillian asked.

“I have no idea. Padre Vicente kept them well hidden. He said they were to be used only in case a dispute arises between him and his partners,” Lorenzo said. “But I will recognize those ledgers when I see them.”

“Are you sure there would be entries on the planning stages of the kidnapping, as well as when you finally took Ava from the training camp?” Jillian reiterated. She was closing in. Over at the other table, she could see Vivian Valdez smiling. She thought that the defense was handing over an important piece of evidence for the prosecution. Jillian could not wait to wipe the smirk off her former classmate’s face.

“Yes. It was routine for Padre Vicente. He makes entries even for smaller jobs, there’s no reason he would not do this for a contract this important,” Lorenzo replied.

“And Beatrice’ name would be in those entries?” Jillian asked.

“Yes, I told you. Those entries were very detailed. Every single name of those that were with him, their specific roles, the color of their watch’s face, everything was written down,” the witness said. He was already impatient. His answer would not change no matter how many times Jillian asked.

“You are committing to your last two statements and are willing to have them placed on record?” Jillian asked.

“Of course, be my guest,” Lorenzo replied.

“Can you repeat your answer, then?” Jillian said.

“Padre Lorenzo’s ledgers would contain entries on the planning stages of the kidnapping of Ava Silva. In those entries, you would find the name of Beatrice, as well as her specific role in the crime,” Lorenzo replied like it was a mild annoyance. Jillian faced the judge.

“Your honor, I would like to request that the witness’ commitment to his last statement be placed on record,” the lawyer said.

“Place it on record,” the judge ordered the court reporter.

“Thank you, your honor, no further questions,” Jillian said, walking back to her seat. Beatrice, who knew her strategy, gave her a nod for a job well done.

“Re-direct?” Judge D’ Angelis asked the table of the prosecution.

“No re-direct your honor. I would like to instead move on to my next witness,” Valdez replied. The U.S. attorney did not even bother with a re-direct in order to rectify Lorenzo’s admission of his character flaw. She was sure that the judge would dismiss it as irrelevant in the face of the discovery of the existence of the ledgers, the documentary proof of Beatrice’ involvement in the crime. Valdez could not wait to subpoena those folders and get her hands on its pages.

“The prosecution would like to call to the stand Ms. Ava Silva,” Valdez relished the words as they rolled out of her tongue. She saw the accused drop her head and slump her shoulders upon hearing the name of the next witness. The sheriff let the actress inside the courtroom. There was a sea of murmuring at the sight of her making her way down the aisle. Beatrice tried to look at the actress from the corner of her eye.

The counsel for the defense stood up swiftly.

“Your honor, Ms. Silva’s name is nowhere in the list of witnesses provided by the prosecution during discovery,” Jillian exclaimed.

“Your honor, Ms. Silva was not our witness until yesterday afternoon when she received our subpoena. Her plane just landed back in Los Angeles from Spain yesterday morning, and before then, she was beyond this court’s jurisdiction,” Valdez explained.

“I know. I issued that subpoena,” Judge D’Angelis replied. “Still, it would be a courtesy to inform the counsel for the defense of these changes. I will let you off with a stern warning, counsel. I will have none of these theatrics if and when we proceed to trial. We have enough of that outside this courtroom already,” the judge said, referring to the reporters outside.

“My apologies, your honor,” Valdez said.

“Swear the witness in,” Judge D’Angelis ordered the bailiff.

Ava made her way to the witness stand and raised her right hand. It was only then that Beatrice was able to have a proper look. The actress was wearing a green blouson dress under a thin white cardigan. Her hair that was let loose was still a bit damp, darker tresses hanging down her shoulder. Her locks were a little longer than when she last saw her back in North Dakota. Her skin has tanned a little bit and she was in every way beautiful. This was the first time that the fighter was seeing her in the flesh since she was taken, since she was betrayed by the person she trusted to protect her. Now, it was revealed to Beatrice why Ava burned the notebook that contained her letter. The actress despised her. If the woman she loved the most was going to stand as a witness against her, there was no reason to keep fighting. Beatrice’ entire being wanted to jump from her seat and confess to all her crimes. She did not want to burden Ava with having to recount what happened. After all the hurt that she has caused her, the actress did not deserve more.

Jillian’s and Lilith’s hands from either side of her went to each of her forearms. Perhaps her tensed up body gave away her intentions. Her lawyer gave her a look of pleading.

“Wait. Just wait, please,” Jillian whispered.

The bailiff, oblivious to the battle that was going on inside the accused’s mind, spoke, “kindly state your name and other personal circumstances.”

“I am Ava Silva, twenty-one years old, single, residing at Carbon Beach, Malibu, California,” Ava said.

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” the bailiff asked.

“I swear,” Ava said.

“The witness has been sworn in, your honor,” the bailiff turned to the judge and the actress sat down. The U.S. attorney approached her second witness.

“Ms. Silva, what is your relation to the accused in this case?” Valdez said confidently.

Ava took a gulp. There was an expression of annoyance on her face. Like this all-important preliminary hearing interrupted her brunch.

“Beatrice is my lover. We are in love.”

The fighter’s head shot up and there was a collective gasp from the audience as reporters from every corner scribbled down madly on their notebooks. Judge D’Angelis did not look happy.

“Order!” she commanded.

“Let me backtrack a bit, Ms. Silva,” Valdez said. Her voice sounded stunned, as if she was trying to regain her footing from such a blunt revelation. “How did you meet Beatrice, who is the accused in this case.”

Valdez reiterated that the fighter was the accused, trying to remind the witness that she, herself, was the victim.

“She moved in next to me in Malibu months ago. We jogged around the neighborhood together. That’s how we met. She saved me from stalkers who tried to grab me while I was on my afternoon run,” Ava narrated. Valdez gave a sigh of relief. At least, Ava’s statement was consistent with that of Lorenzo’s, earlier, who testified that it was part of the plan.

“Can you tell me what happened that same night?” Valdez asked.

“My house got broken into, not that same night, but early in the morning the next day. Beatrice saved me once more from what would have been an assault,” Ava continued.

“After Beatrice allegedly saved you, what happened next?” Valdez prodded.

“She stayed in my house until morning because I was afraid to be there alone,” Ava replied. “We made love.”

There was a sea of murmuring once more and the judge banged the gavel. That was a lie, but only Beatrice, and perhaps Mary, knew. The fighter locked eyes with the actress for the first time and Ava quickly turned away.

“Objection, your honor. I would like to request that the answer be stricken off the record for being irrelevant and immaterial,” Valdez reacted quickly.

“Your honor, that was the answer of the witness for the prosecution to the prosecutor’s own question,” Jillian pointed out the absurdity of the objection.

“Sustained,” the judge said.

Valdez cleared her throat and smoothed her blazer. She had not expected Ava to be so blunt about her answers, nor to misunderstand the question. She only wanted to elicit the detail that the actress called the FBI agent that she had been in contact with after the break in to establish the fact that Beatrice invited her to come to North Dakota to keep her away from the authorities. Neither did she have an idea that Beatrice had been intimate with Ava. That was not in any of her notes.

“Let me rephrase the question, Ms. Silva,” Valdez said. “Did you call the authorities after your house was broken into?”

“Yes. I called Mary immediately at Beatrice’ instructions while she was fighting off the man who broke into my home,” Ava said. “Mary was the FBI agent assigned to the investigation on Adriel Alonso where I am an informant.”

“Beatrice’ instructions?” Valdez confirmed.

“Objection, asked and answered,” Jillian said.

“Sustained,” the judge ruled.

“So you called Mary, and that was when Beatrice found out you were already in contact with the authorities,” Valdez said.

“Objection, the counsel is testifying, your honor,” Jillian said.

“Sustained. Kindly rephrase your question, counsel,” the judge directed the prosecutor. “If you do have a question.”

“How did Beatrice react to finding out about Mary?” Valdez finally said.

“She did not react much. She even made tea and grilled cheese sandwiches for us,” Ava replied.

Valdez cleared her throat. The witness misunderstood the point of her question once again.

“You went with Beatrice to her training camp in North Dakota willingly, yes?” Valdez asked.

“Yes.”

“At what point did Beatrice suggest that you come with her?” Valdez asked.

“You must be mistaken. Beatrice did not suggest that I come to North Dakota with her. It was all my idea,” Ava replied, half chuckling. Beatrice, Lilith, and Mary knew that it was a lie they would take to their graves. The only piece of evidence that could prove that it was not the truth was in a letter that has been turned into ash inside a used tin can in Blaire Kinney’s backyard.

“What do you mean, Ms. Silva?” Valdez said, almost whispering. Jillian thought she heard her opposing counsel’s voice shaking.

“I was still very confused about what I felt for Beatrice then, and my ex-boyfriend was coming over to try and fix things between us. I did not want his presence to add to my confusion, and I did not want to be so far away from Beatrice for an entire month,” Ava narrated. “I was swept off my feet, smitten, I never met anyone quite like her, I mean look at her!”

The actress gestured to where Beatrice was sitting and suddenly, all eyes were on the fighter, and then to JC who was also present in the courtroom. He simply nodded at Ava with a small smile on his face.

“I knew what I felt then was something special and I wanted to give it a chance. So I suggested coming with her to North Dakota. I did not want to face JC until I was sure about my feelings for Beatrice,” Ava continued. “And now, I am sure. I am in love with her.”

Ava looked at Beatrice as she said those words. The actress had avoided the fighter’s eyes up until that point. Beatrice knew that it was because everything else she said on the stand had been a lie, save for those last six words. There were tears threatening to fall from the fighter’s eyes and her lips trembled.

“It pains me that I did not get to be with her to take care of her as she was recovering in the hospital, but I knew Beatrice would want me to chase my dreams, and so I left for Spain to shoot my film. Now that I’m back, it pains me that I am being kept from her once more behind this witness stand when I should be behind her now, having her back,” Ava said, turning once more to the prosecutor. The actress’ voice was beginning to crack. “Beatrice is not your suspect. Please. Just leave us be.”

Valdez’ mouth hung open. Ava’s words came like a blow. She was just beginning to realize that perhaps, putting the victim on the stand was a mistake.

“When Padre Vicente and his men took you away from the training camp, were you with Beatrice?” Valdez asked.

“Yes, I was always with her,” Ava said.

“She did not even protest? The accused is a fighter, did she not try to fight your kidnappers?” Valdez asked, scrambling to regain footing.

“Beatrice is a skilled fighter, yes. But in the face of two armed men, of course, she did not try to fight. She is a smart woman, resisting would only have caused someone to get hurt,” Ava replied.

Valdez sighed, her head was throbbing.

“No further questions, your honor,” Valdez said, walking back to the table for the prosecution. ‘Less talk, less mistakes,’ she thought.

“Cross?” Judge D’Angelis asked the table for the defense.

“Yes, your honor,” Jillian said, now approaching Ava.

“Ms. Silva, when Padre Lorenzo’s men took you, you said you were with Beatrice, yes?” Jillian said.

“That is correct.”

“Was there another woman in the scene?”

“Yes, there was,” Ava replied. “Lilith.”

“And is this Lilith currently inside this courtroom?” Jillian asked.

“Yes.”

“Can you please point at her?”

Ava raised her right hand to point in the direction of Lilith.

“Your honor, I would like to manifest that the witness is now pointing at the woman sitting beside the accused,” Jillian said. “Thank you, Ms. Silva. After taking you away from Beatrice, what did Padre Vicente’s men do next?”

“Lorenzo and Quebral searched me for devices,” Ava replied.

“And were they able to take all of your devices?” Jillian asked.

“No. I was left with my Kindle. An e-reader that was a gift to me from Beatrice and that was connected to the Amazon account in her assistant’s phone,” Ava replied.

“How come you were left with that device?” Jillian asked.

“Lilith urged the men that the Kindle was harmless and could not be used to communicate with the outside world,” Ava replied.

“Why would Lilith do that?” Jillian asked.

“Because Beatrice instructed her to. Lilith told me that was the last thing Beatrice whispered to her when they hugged goodbye before I was taken away,” Ava said.

“And could the Kindle, in fact, not be used to communicate with the outside world?” Jillian asked.

“No. We used the Kindle to send and receive messages to and from Beatrice and the others. The Kindle facilitated our rescue,” Ava replied.

“Thank you, Ms. Silva. That will be all, your honor,” Jillian said, walking back to her seat.

“Re-direct?” the judge asked the prosecution.

“Yes, your honor,” Valdez said, approaching the witness stand once more.

“You said you used the Kindle to send and receive messages to and from Beatrice and the others. Who exactly are these others?” Valdez asked.

“Mary and her superior at the FBI. They were planning our rescue,” Ava said.

“So Beatrice chose to go to Mary, an agent from the FBI who was fired from her job for insubordination just days before your rescue, instead of the actual authorities, correct?” Valdez asked.

“Objection, the witness is not competent to answer that question, neither is my client,” Jillian said. “The opposing counsel should have brought someone from the FBI to prove the veracity of her claims.”

“I agree,” Judge D’Angelis said. “Sustained.”

“No further questions, your honor,” Valdez said.

"Re-cross?" the judge asked the counsel for the defense.

"No re-cross, your honor," Jillian simply stated.

“Your honor, I would like to request a recess,” the U.S. attorney said.

“Granted. This session will resume in thirty minutes,” Judge D’Angelis said before banging her gavel.

xxx

United States Attorney Vivian Valdez splashed some water on her face in front of the sink of the ladies' room in the federal courthouse. The testimony of the actress Ava Silva had caught her off guard and she hoped the surprise did not register on her face in front of the judge and her opposing counsel. As far as her informants have told her, the actress never visited Beatrice once in the week that she spent confined to the hospital. She even flew to Spain while the accused was fighting for her life, staying away for an entire month from the accused to shoot a movie. That did not look like something a girlfriend would do when the one you love is on death’s door. Vivi Valdez simply concluded that Ava must have been angry at the fighter for her to stay away, angry because she learned the truth of how Beatrice deceived her in order to kidnap her.

Besides, the actress had just returned to California yesterday morning, and the subpoena for her to appear as a witness was served in the afternoon. There was no time to interview her so Valdez went with her gut which seldom failed her. Except for this time. It was a real amateur-ish move that made her look like a fool and she berated herself as she washed her hands. She was grateful that the judge granted her request for a recess. She needed to breathe and regroup.

At least she found out about the ledgers, thanks to Jillian. Valdez thought that her former classmate had achieved nothing when she cross-examined her star-witness Lorenzo but to help the prosecution discover the existence of Vicente’s ledgers - documentary proof of how Beatrice was involved in the kidnapping. And when she gets her hands on those folders, it would be game over for the defense.

She heard the door of the bathroom open. It was her former classmate standing behind her with a serious look on her face. Beside her was an FBI agent who everyone in her department referred to as Mother Superion. The agent locked the door.

“Can we speak?” Jillian started. Vivian Valdez wiped her face with a paper towel and faced the other lawyer.

“Counsel to counsel?” Valdez asked, leaning against the sink.

“No,” Jillian replied. “As both servants of justice.”

Valdez smirked, but she was annoyed deep inside. How dare this woman use the motto of their sorority, a sorority she had quit and left?

“You’ve always been corny, Jillian,” Valdez said. “What is it that you wanted to say?”

“I want you to drop the charges against my client,” Jillian replied.

“Why would I do that?,” Valdez asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She did not know where this gall came from.

“Because she’s innocent. Because you got the wrong person when you should be allocating your time and resources to the real culprit - Adriel. Not wasting taxpayer money pursuing my client,” Jillian replied.

“You can prove all that during the real trial,” Valdez said. By the door, Mother Superion observed the opposing counsels as they exchanged words.

“Vivi, you are condemning an innocent person,” Jillian said. “You know what Beatrice deserves? An apology on top of a million dollars in redress from the City of Fresno. But guess what? She does not even want that. All my client wants is to be left alone for the first time in her life.”

“That’s ridiculous. What are you talking about?,” Valdez replied, forcing out a chuckle.

“You have a witness to present a birth certificate bearing the real name of Beatrice,” Jillian said.

“Yes, that’s true,” Valdez replied, wondering where this was going. Jillian looked behind her to the federal agent standing by the door. Mother Superion stepped into the light between both lawyers to speak for the first time.

“Fifteen years ago, there was a child,” Superion started. “She wandered away from her mother in a Target parking lot and somehow walked all the way to Dankworth Park in Fresno. Her mother, who came into this country illegally, was afraid to expose her status to the authorities so she reported the disappearance of her child only a week after she was last sighted. Instead of helping her find her child, the local authorities reported the mother to the ICE, and she was promptly deported back to her home country. The child had no other family here in the United States, and she was left lost and alone.”

“It was so traumatic for the child that she forgot every single event that happened to her before she got separated from her mother...down to her true name,” Mother Superion paused for effect. “She was picked up by an organized crime ring, never to be surrendered to the authorities. She was never to have a formal education, or a family, or friends, or a normal life. She was never given the chance to have normal dreams. She lived in fear of being beaten and starved if she fell out of favor of the man who took her. Later on, she would train as a mixed martial arts fighter. She thought she finally found a way out, but her fights were just used by the same man as a way to make more money. Now, that man is dead, and the government wants the girl to answer for his crimes. The same government who failed to find her and protect her years ago.”

“That’s quite the sob story you have there,” Valdez smirked. “Touching, but clearly fantastical.”

“Vivi, Beatrice uses a different name because that was the name given to her by Vicente. She did not even know her true name until days before the fight,” Jillian said with an edge to her voice. She was slowly losing her patience and she knew that was dangerous territory. “You think you’re on to something when you found her birth certificate bearing her true name but all that is going to accomplish is help me prove that not only was she innocent, she was also a victim. A victim of Vicente, a victim of the negligence of the state.”

“That’s a grave accusation. If what you’re saying is true, I’m sure the local enforcement did everything they could to find Beatrice,” Valdez replied. “I have worked with the local authorities before, they are competent at what they do.”

“No, they did not do everything. I know that for a fact,” Mother Superion answered. “I was a cop in Fresno when it all happened. I was the one looking for Beatrice. But there was only so much I could do because I was the only one looking. The head of my department told me that I should just allocate the department’s resources for those who had higher chances of being found. Those who had families and entire communities searching, those who could afford to have their pictures printed in milk boxes and newspapers. Mostly, those who were white.”

The smile on Vivian Valdez’ face faded. Beatrice was going to play the race card, one which, a white person like her, was not allowed to play. She predicted this would be a sensational case, and the optics would be just bad for her.

“If you’re claiming that Beatrice’ actions were because Vicente controlled her all her life, that does not mean she did not commit those crimes. You could always mount the defense of duress during the trial. That is basic criminal law, Jillian,” Valdez said.

“Vivi, I just had your main witness, Lorenzo, commit to his answer that Padre Vicente’s ledgers contain every single detail of all the transactions of his organization. It is now also on the record that Lorenzo claims Beatrice’ alleged participation in planning and the kidnapping of Ava Silva would be on the ledgers,” Jillian said. This was her strongest card against her opposing counsel and she prayed to the heavens that it would work.

“My sources tell me that those ledgers are now in the possession of the Organized Crimes Unit of the FBI. Do you know the first thing that I will do if this case proceeds to trial? I will subpoena those ledgers,” Jillian said, now stepping towards her former classmate. “And do you know what you’ll find about Beatrice in those ledgers?”

Vivian Valdez took a gulp as she waited for the answer with bated breath.

“Nothing. Beatrice was never mentioned anywhere in those folders and the court will find that your main witness, on whose testimony your entire case depends, does not know what he is saying,” Jillian replied. She took a step back and let the words sink in.

The U.S. attorney thought that Jillian must be bluffing. She wondered how her opposing counsel knew more about those ledgers, which she alleges were now in the custody of the FBI. But then she remembered that her former classmate never bluffed. Despite their differences, Valdez had always respected Jillian’s skills in debate and in court. She never asked a witness questions she did not already know the answer to, never presented evidence which she, herself, has not yet examined. In her decades in criminal law practice, Valdez never thought those were lessons she still had to learn. She could see her own case crumbling before her eyes. She was afraid that she might have been misled by Lorenzo. Valdez tried to grapple at the cards remaining in her hand.

“Why would Beatrice invite Ava to go with her to North Dakota then? Bring her across state lines and miles away from the FBI agent who was protecting her?” Valdez said. The prosecutor was at the end of her rope. She knew Jillian could smell her despair. Those questions had already been answered by Ava Silva on the stand a while ago, much to her own shock and surprise.

“You heard what Ava had to say about that. They’re lovers. They were in love. Surely, you do not think that the love between two women is a crime?” Jillian replied.

“Of course, not,” Valdez said defensively.

The door of one of the cubicles in the ladies' room swung open and Ava Silva stepped out slowly. There was an unreadable expression on her face as she looked at the U.S. attorney.

“I didn’t think I had to come out of there,” the actress said softly, gesturing to the cubicle. “I didn’t think they needed my help to convince you to drop these charges.”

“Ms. Silva,” Valdez acknowledged the presence of the actress.

“Ms. Valdez,” Ava began. “You recommended a two hundred thousand dollar bail for this case. The defense accepted the amount without batting an eyelash. Who do you think has that kind of money? Who do you think wrote that check so Beatrice would not have to be detained?” Ava said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

The U.S. attorney wanted to disappear. She wished the tiled floor of the ladies’ room would swallow her at the implication of Ava’s words. Lorenzo told her that Beatrice would not have any resources to pool any amount of money for bail, so she recommended an amount of two hundred grand, anyway. When the defense acceded and was able to post the amount on the same day, she merely attributed it to Jillian’s resourcefulness.

Yet here was the victim of the crime, herself, admitting to the fact that she bailed out the person accused of kidnapping her. For all Valdez knows, she might have also been paying for Jillian’s fees. She knew her former classmate was now a partner at a top law firm in downtown L.A. How could a mixed martial arts fighter with no bank account in her own name afford to retain her?

“This is harassment. All of you, locking me in this bathroom to force me to drop the charges. This is an ambush,” Vivian Valdez said, looking at the three wide-eyed, desperate for a way out.

“We locked the door so no one could get in, so we could talk in private. No one is preventing you from going out. Unlike the way my client has been since she was eight years old, you are free to go and do as you please,” Jillian said. Mother Superion turned the knob of the door, unlocking it to drive home the point.

Vivian Valdez straightened the front of her blazer and walked past her opposing counsel, brushing shoulders with her former classmate on her way out.

xxx

The court was back in session after the recess. The prosecution’s next witness, Beatrice’ former sparring partner Klaus Janssen, was already inside the courtroom getting ready to take the stand. Judge D’Angelis asked the prosecution if they are ready to proceed with their next witness.

Vivian Valdez stood up and faced the judge. She could feel Jillian’s eyes boring through her temple. She could sense Mother Superion staring at the back of her head. She thought she could even hear Ava Silva exhaling through her nose. At that moment, the U.S. attorney was hyper-aware of her surroundings. She could hear Judge D’Angelis drumming her fingers on the bench impatiently. Beside her, her next witness was panting like a dog, eager to take the stand.

She went over what transpired inside the ladies’ room just a few minutes ago. Jillian Salvius dismantled her theory of the case little by little, sort of teaching her a lesson in her own game. Not only that, her opposing counsel had threatened to play the race card. If she had any hopes of becoming Attorney General one day, she had to be careful about what she does next.

She could still present Quebral, Janssen, and the Custodian of Records as witnesses. The judge only needed to be convinced that there was probable cause to force Beatrice to stand trial. It was not too high a standard. She then would work closely with the OCU. Jillian had revealed in the bathroom that they already started investigating Vicente’s other crimes. Maybe they would have something on Beatrice that could be useful in the case at the bar.

Or she could pray for the continuance of the preliminary trial and regroup. She would interview everyone from the training camp, everyone Beatrice ever knew, including that woman who was always with Jillian, Lilith. She would do her homework this time.

She looked over to the accused beside her opposing counsel. Beatrice was staring blankly upon the space before her. Her shoulder was slumped and she looked fatigued. She was wearing a grey elastic brace underneath her thin jacket that Valdez inferred was for her broken rib from when she was shot. That’s when it hit her.

Beatrice was not going to play the race card. The story from her childhood was not an ace to be dealt with when needed. This was not a game for her. This was her life. This was all the life she has ever known.

Beatrice was a victim, plain and simple.

‘ _Good God, she was a victim._ ’

Valdez’ entire life passed her by, until that moment when she first read the brochure for Georgetown Law. Vivian Vale was then a senior in undergrad, aspiring to get into one of the country’s top law schools and excited to move to D.C. The school’s motto was printed on the front page of the pamphlet. Decades later and now an alumna, the image was still burned in her mind’s eye.

_**Law is but the means - Justice the end.** _

Suddenly, United States Attorney Vivian Valdez knew the right thing to do.

“Your honor, I would like to move for the dismissal of both of the charges against the accused,” Valdez said. “I regret to say that it seems I’ve been wrong about the accused all along. The prosecution does not have a solid case against her. The government cannot and should not burden her with having to go through a trial.”

‘The government has burdened her enough,’ she added in her mind.

“Prosecutor,” Honorable D’Angelis replied with a smile, “this is the first time that I’ve agreed with you all morning.”

“Motion granted. Both cases are dismissed without prejudice,” Judge D’Angelis banged her gavel and the courtroom erupted in a sudden explosion of ear-splitting noise.

xxx

She tried to get to Beatrice, but as soon as she set foot on the steps of the federal courthouse, reporters hounded Ava. She was not prepared for the onslaught of the press. She thought they would be more interested in the fighter. She was, after all, the defendant in the case. She guessed everyone was as surprised as the defense was that she was a witness in today’s preliminary hearing and as surprised as the prosecution was of what constituted her testimony. She had just confessed her love for another woman in open court. Forget that she and JC never publicly acknowledged their break up, she just openly admitted to having fallen in love with a woman who was just charged with kidnapping her. This was why Hollywood cannot come up with great plot lines anymore, they’ll never beat real life.

“Sorry, I really have no comment at this point, you heard all I had to say,” Ava replied to someone from the NBC.

“Does this mean you and JC have broken up?” the same reporter followed up.

“Of course, long before any of these events transpired, as I stated in my testimony earlier,” the actress replied, exhausted. “Look, can you just please give Beatrice and me privacy at this point?”

“Weren’t you doing a movie in Spain? When did you come back?” Someone from the back row of reporters shouted over the noise.

“My flight landed yesterday morning, and I received a subpoena asking me to appear in this morning’s preliminary hearing yesterday afternoon,” Ava replied.

“So, it was a surprise for you, as well, that the prosecutor is putting you on the stand?” another reporter asked.

“Yes, yes, it was a big surprise,” Ava replied.

“Ms. Silva won’t be answering any more questions at this point, thank you,” the actress felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulders and carefully lead her away from the pack of wolves. The reporters tried to follow the pair down the stairs, but her companion quickly ushered her into the car that was waiting at the bottom of the steps.

“Mary! Thank you for that, I could never get quite used to the press,” Ava said as soon as she settled beside the former agent in her blue sedan.

“Welcome back, how are you?” Mary asked with concern in her voice.

“I’m just so happy that the charges against Beatrice were dropped,” the actress replied as Mary started the engine of her car.

“All thanks to your help,” Mary replied. She turned into the street that led out of the courthouse and waited for her turn to drive into the main road.

“Of course. It’s Beatrice. I’ll do anything for her,” Ava replied.

“Listen, about your testimony earlier, saying it was your idea to come to North Dakota...” Mary began.

”I know. I lied on the stand. It was JC’s idea. I met with him last night to ask for his help and he told me to just use him as an alibi, say that I was trying to get away from him because I had feelings for someone else. He also told me that I should just mention that we had broken up even before I met Beatrice in order to protect my reputation,” Ava narrated. “I lied, but no one can prove that.”

”JC is a good man and a good friend,” Mary replied.

”I know. I wish I could be more for him, but my heart belongs to another.”

Ava sighed. She picked at her own fingers and stared out the window uneasily.

“What’s wrong? We’re off to my apartment to see her,” Mary reassured her friend, glancing at the actress who was now biting her nails.

“I just thought we’d have a better reunion. I thought she’d miss me, run to me, and give me a bone-crushing hug the moment that the charges against her were dropped,” the actress replied. Her voice was tinged with hurt.

“Maybe she expected you to be hounded by the press soon after. Stress is really not good for her recovery,” Mary tried to downplay Ava’s concern. “Besides, you better not give her a bone-crushing hug when you see her later. Her rib is still healing.”

The actress was silent. She leaned her forehead on the window of Mary’s car as they merged into heavy traffic.

“Los Angeles. You never change,” Mary said to no one in particular at the sight of bumper to bumper vehicles. “Hey. Maybe Beatrice wants to be alone for a bit. She knows everyone is coming later to congratulate her. Jillian is throwing us a cocktail party at her law firm tonight and it will surely be overwhelming. Remember, this is the first time in her memory that she’s free.”

The implications of the dismissal of the charges against Beatrice slowly sank in and the actress understood. For the first time in the fighter’s life, there was no looming threat, no danger, and all of her choices would be her own. Beatrice would need time for herself to figure things out before she embarks on this new journey. Whether or not she wants it to be with Ava.

“Sorry, I was being unreasonable. It’s not about me. It’s not about us even,” Ava started. “This is about Beatrice and helping her transition into this world. I want to be there for her, no expectations, no strings attached.”

“You’re perfect, Ava. She’d be lucky to have you,” Mary replied. When the actress cast her eyes down, she added. “Hey, cheer up. She loves you. She told you as much in her letter, right? She just hates herself for what she did and you’d probably forgive her long before she even thinks about forgiving herself. But what’s important is that both of you are now free and you’ll figure it out.”

“Thank you, Mary,” Ava said, finally showing her friend her famous shit-eating grin. “I’ll forever be grateful that you were the agent assigned to my case.”

“And I am grateful you were my witness,” Mary replied.

“Really, now?” Ava said, chuckling.

“You were not the easiest to deal with, I must admit,” Mary said. Upon seeing the actress raise an eyebrow, she added, “fine, you were the most complicated witness I ever had, who got herself involved in the most complicated situation. But it was all worth it.”

xxx

The pair rode together through the heavy Los Angeles traffic for two hours until they reached Mary’s apartment complex. The former agent opened the door for the actress who set foot in her friend’s house for the first time. She was greeted by the sight of Lilith who was sitting alone on the living room couch with a piece of paper in hand.

“Lilith? How come you got here before us? I thought there were still some documents you had to process back in the courthouse?” Mary said, surprised that the taller woman was already home.

“Lilith,” Ava said, speaking to the woman for the first time in more than a month. “Where’s Beatrice?”

“Jillian and I took a different route,” Lilith explained, standing up. “I guess we got here faster and she dropped me off. She went ahead to the firm to make arrangements for the party later.”

“Lilith, you did not answer my question,” Ava said, staring up at the other woman.

“She told me she’d like to take the bus home. She wanted to be alone for a while before the party and that she’d meet me here,” Lilith replied. “But when I got here, the house was empty. I called her several times but she turned her phone off so I got suspicious and went upstairs to the game room where she keeps her things. All her clothes were gone, including all her shoes and everything else she owns. Gone.”

“I’ll review the CCTV footage,” Mary offered, running to the dining table to open her laptop.

“I’m sorry, Ava,” Lilith said. “All I found was this. It has your name on it.”

The taller woman handed the actress a folded piece of paper. Ava immediately recognized the scrolling script that was her name in front. Her hands trembled as she took it.

“She never returned to the apartment,” Mary said, walking back to the living room, laptop in hand.

“How could she have taken her things, then? She had only her wallet when we left for the courthouse this morning,” Lilith asked.

“Maybe she’s been transferring her things little by little whenever she says she goes for walks? She’s been planning this,” Mary replied. “She must have been ready to leave in case her charges get dropped today.”

Ava opened the piece of paper with her shaking fingers. There were four lines written in the fighter’s neat penmanship. All that was left of Beatrice were packed in five short sentences.

**_Ava,_ **

**_The world’s twisting is done. You hold the last thread to my heart._ **

**_I will try to find my peace. I hope you find yours. Thank you for everything, and I’m sorry._ **

**_-B_ **

The actress folded the letter back into its creases and handed it to Lilith for her to read.

“She’s gone,” the actress said softly, but the words felt heavy in her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The same disclaimers in the last chapter with respect to the proceedings apply. We are nearing the end! One last chapter left!


	17. Woven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One hundred and seventy thousand words later and Teresa makes her first appearance.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” the visitors yelled as soon as Ava opened the small, black, wrought iron gate that led to the front door of her home in Malibu, California. The actress placed an arm around the shoulder of each newcomer as they stepped into the manor. A waiter on stand by took the bouquet of flowers and the gift-wrapped box that was in Blaire Kinney’s hand while another took a bottle of wine from Chanel.

“I’m so happy you two could make it, I thought you were off to New York?” Ava asked Blaire as she regarded her oldest friend. She was wearing a floral printed white sundress that fell below her knees. Her sandy brown hair has grown longer and her skin has tanned a bit. Even now, after all these years, the actress still saw how they were a spitting image of each other. It was the main reason Ava was cast as Blaire’s youngest sister in their sitcom from the 2000s. the actress held her friend gently on her shoulders as she smiled. She was simply grateful that her elder sister was back in her life.

“No, no, put the flowers in a vase, not together with the other gifts!” Ava heard Camila instruct a waiter. “Hey, you, mimosas first! The red wine is for dinner, what were you thinking?”

“Camila, I told you, you’re not working today, you are a guest,” Ava scolded her friend as she took a step back to allow Camila to greet both Blaire and Chanel.

“Sorry, I can’t help it,” Camila replied.

“It’s just a small party, it’s just us. It’s okay for things to go wrong,” Ava reminded her assistant. Ever since Beatrice disappeared eight months ago, Camila started working for Ava as her assistant. The actress told her that it was a stepping stone when she offered her the job, a way to build connections in the music industry. Ava remembered Camila telling her back at the camp in North Dakota that she would need the help of an assistant after her movie did so well in the box office. She was right. Not to mention that the actress was now also known as a women’s rights activist, a role she never expected to take. She was grateful for all the help she could get.

“Hey, a picture?” JC said from behind the girls, his professional camera in hand.

“You are not working as well, mister,” Ava scolded her ex-boyfriend.

“It’s not work when you’re having fun,” JC replied with a smile. “Ready?”

The girls flanked Ava, smiling for the photo. JC took a couple of shots when they saw Shannon and Jillian running towards them from the living room.

“Hey, wait for us!” the coach said.

“Get in here,” Ava replied. Shannon stood beside Chanel, a hand circled around the crook of one of the taller woman’s elbows and Jillian stepped beside Camila as they posed for another shot.

“That’s great, you all look so beautiful,” JC said, taking a peek at the photos he just took on the LCD display of his camera. “I’ll take loads more later, let’s eat!”

Chanel took JC by the arm and led him to the buffet spread that was in the lanai in the backyard of Ava’s house. The glass wall panel that was shattered when the house was broken into almost a year ago has already been fixed.

“You’re here early,” Chanel teased JC.

“That’s because I promised to help Camila set up,” JC replied. “Not for anything else.”

“Come on. It’s been eight months. I know she’s in love with Beatrice, we all heard that in court,” Chanel said. “But she’s not around and nowhere to be found. Ava is still young and she deserves to be happy. I know how you used to make her happy. You could still do that.”

“Well, how do I even talk to her today? I bet she’d be surrounded by everyone else,” JC replied. He watched the guests who had settled around the living room, glasses of mimosas in their hands. It was a small party. Just the same people who gathered around Mary’s cramped dining area months ago, scheming together to save her ex-girlfriend from the clutches of a criminal organization and accidentally birthing one of the biggest global movements that year. Mary and Lilith are not yet around, but as far as JC was aware of, the people that have arrived were almost everyone that Ava invited, everyone that was important to the actress, save for one person. JC knew that the actress still felt like there was a gap in her life, a missing piece. He could see it in her eyes. Maybe, just maybe, he could still be the person to fill that up.

“Well, you might be lucky just this once,” Chanel said, gesturing towards the staircase that led to the second floor of the house. They both watched the birthday girl climb up the stairs, all alone, presumably to go to her room.

“Go get Rosaline, Romeo,” Chanel said as she took the plate of food that was in JC’s hand and the camera that was hanging around his neck. The woman gave her friend a nod and urged him to follow Ava upstairs. The photographer cleared his throat with intent and stepped back into the living room, past Blaire chatting with Shannon and Jillian, recounting a particularly funny story, past Camila scolding one of the waiters, and up the staircase.

xxx

Ava sat on her bed, needing to get away from the chaos downstairs and breathe. She was so used to the solitude of her home that seeing it with people, even the few that she had invited for her birthday, unnerved her. Not that she was not grateful. Ava was extremely happy, or at least she thought she should be. Ever since the death of her parents, she has never been in a house as lively as this. Yet the sight of all her friends together to celebrate another year in her life made the large Beatrice-sized hole in her heart all the more apparent. The actress did not notice that she’d been crying until she felt a few, hot tears drop on the palm of her hands that were resting on her lap.

Ava heard a knock on her door and quickly wiped her tears away.

“Come in,” she said. The actress saw the doorknob turn and her ex-boyfriend’s head pop in.

“Hey, they want you to blow the candles on the cake, one of the cakes,” JC said, stepping inside. He saw the redness in Ava’s eyes and worry immediately crept across his face. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I was just...I was just hoping to get a change of clothes. Chanel was wearing yellow as well and I kind of wanted to stand out, it’s my birthday and all,” Ava lied quickly.

“You might have convinced everyone else when you testified on the stand, but I always know when you’re not telling the truth,” JC said, approaching his ex to stand at the foot of the bed. He knelt in front of her. “Besides, you’ll stand out in anything, even a trash bag.”

“Stop it,” Ava chuckled. “I just feel so guilty and ungrateful. I’m supposed to be happy. Everyone who is important to me is here now, celebrating.”

“But not everyone,” JC understood. He moved to sit on the bed beside the actress, the bed they used to share back when they were together and he had time off from his busy schedule to stay in California for a few days.

“Not everyone,” Ava admitted, meeting his eyes. JC sighed.

“I’m not going to lie. With Beatrice gone, I thought we had another chance. I never returned the ring, you know?” JC said.

“JC...” Ava started.

“No, let me speak. I’m sorry, Ava. I should not have thought about that at all. Not when you’re still healing,” JC said. “I told myself that I’ll wait, told myself that you’re still young and you can’t keep looking for Beatrice forever.”

“JC, the last thing you deserve is a person who would always be waiting for another,” Ava replied. She held her left hand up to his face and stroked his cheek. “I’m sorry. I wish I could be that person for you.”

“You used to wait for me before, when I traveled around the world, but then you stopped. What makes you think you won’t one day stop looking for Beatrice?” JC asked. He no longer tried to mask the hurt in his voice.

Ava brought her hand down to stare at her palm. She took one of JC’s hands, darker and large, and turned it over. The lines on their palms branched into different directions.

“Maybe I’ll stop one day,” Ava replied softly. “But that day has not come yet. She still calls out to me. I know she still wants to come back.”

“How do you know she has not let you go?” JC asked, just genuinely curious. The actress closed her fingers over her palm and placed her wrist near her heart. The beating was tranquil and steady.

“Because I’ll feel it,” Ava replied.

JC nodded. “I think I understand. There is so little magic in this world that we must not let go of it when we find it.”

Ava smiled and gave her ex-boyfriend a hug. They both jumped when they heard the sound of the doorbell ringing.

“That must be Mary and Lilith,” Ava said. “Mary texted me that they were very near before I came upstairs.”

“You better greet them then,” JC replied. And when the actress hesitated to leave him, “Go. You don’t mind if I hang around here for a while before I go back down?”

“Of course not. Be my guest,” Ava said. “Well, you are my guest,” the actress added with a wink before she left her own room to meet her new visitors.

xxx

“Happy birthday, Ava,” Lilith said, greeting her friend with a hug and a smile. The taller woman handed the actress a colorful paper bag, with pink, onion skin paper brimming at the top. A waiter took it from her hand before she could even take a peek.

The actress regarded her friend as she let go of the embrace. Lilith was glowing. The woman was wearing an olive green sleeveless dress that accentuated the shape of her arms and she wore her hair in loose curls down her shoulders. The actress noted how she was holding hands with Mary when the pair came in and was glad that they were still a thing.

“Oh, Lilith, it’s great that you’re already here, I need to discuss something,” Blaire said, approaching the newcomers. Lilith’s day job was as a paralegal at the Between Us Foundation, the non-profit that was founded in the wake of the The Thread Between Us movement. She had earned her GEDs and in between fixing her identity documents and retaining a stable job, she was on the right track to gaining custody of Diego with Jillian’s help. Blaire finds modeling gigs for her on the side. Lilith had even already been cast in a small, speaking role in an indie movie that Blaire was going to produce. They shoot in the summer.

All the guests at the party are involved in the non-profit in one small way or the other. Jillian runs the legal assistance department, a growing army of ten lawyers making sure that justice for the survivors was not confined to a Twitter hashtag. Shannon founded #TakeUpSpace, a movement under the Between Us umbrella that seeks to reform the athletics programs for women in schools and introduces strength and contact sports as a legitimate option for girls even in the school age. Chanel and JC teamed up to strengthen the marketing and the awareness campaign of the organization, while Blaire and Camila organized and mobilized their contacts. Blaire was already thinking of seeking to make changes to Hollywood’s casting process.

Meanwhile, Ava declined a leadership role within the organization. It has always been her position that she was just a witness in one Hollywood case, and that the stories of myriads of survivors were not hers to tell. Instead, with the help of Jillian and Mary, they managed to put together a Board that was composed of long time activists and community organizers, people from grassroots movements that could steer the organization in the right direction. Of course, Ava still appeared on promotional materials and benefit dinners where she delivered speeches to make sure that the biggest and most generous donors would be present and would be opening their purses.

Blaire took Lilith by the arm, who let go of Mary’s hand in return. Ava turned to the former agent. She was still working as a private detective for Jillian’s law firm and never returned to the force. On the strength of Jillian’s recommendation letter, she was hoping to enter law school that coming semester. Lilith insisted on helping her with the tuition using the reparations she received as the heir of a murder victim.

“Superion called me on our way here to tell me she’s going to be late,” Mary told Ava.

“Oh, tell her not to worry, we’d be here ‘til after dinner,” Ava replied. “Camila’s having a karaoke machine brought in. She has kinda gone overboard with this party.”

“By the way, you and Lilith shouldn’t have bothered with a present, really,” the actress added. She knew that the pair were in a better place financially than they were eight months ago, but with Mary’s plans of going back to school and Lilith trying to gain custody of her brother, Ava knew that money was still tight.

“Oh, that thing in the paper bag? That is Lilith’s gift,” Mary said. She then took a small, wrapped present from the pocket of her jeans and handed it to Ava. It was the size of a ring box. “This is mine.”

“Surely, you’re not proposing to me? Because I think Lilith might kill me this time,” Ava joked. “First Beatrice, then now, you?”

“Shut up,” Mary replied. “I wanted to save the best present for last.”

“You want me to open it now?” the actress asked, intrigued.

“Can you do it somewhere private?” the former agent replied. “How about we step into your office?”

“Sure,” Ava said, eyeing the small box in her hand suspiciously. “Come on.”

The actress led Mary to her tiny office that was behind the staircase. The space had also been broken into almost a year ago so Ava seldom spends time in it, preferring instead to read scripts on her breakfast island or in front of her fireplace. The actress saw Lilith eye them as they passed by, but Blaire and Camila were chatting with her so animatedly that she could not get away to follow them even if she wanted to. Ava saw Chanel thrust a glass of mimosa in Lilith’s hand.

The pair stepped inside the actress’ office. There was a tiny glass desk in front of a wide window that allowed sunlight from the backyard. Mary stepped on a soft, blue rug and stood in front of a bookcase that was pushed to one of the pink pastel walls.

“Go on, open it,” Mary told the actress.

“You’re making me nervous,” Ava replied as she ripped the wrapper open.

“That’s right, just tear the whole thing apart, it’s not like I spent an hour just wrapping your present,” Mary said, half chuckling.

When the paper wrapping was discarded on the floor, Ava was greeted by a simple, white, cardboard box.

“Well, go on,” Mary urged her. The actress removed the lid of the box. A piece of folded up paper was nestled inside. It looked like it had been torn from a yellow, ruled notepad. The box joined the wrapper on the floor as well as Ava unfolded the piece of paper. There were two lines on the note scribbled in messy black ink.

_**166325 SH2: Clayton, Oklahoma 74536** _

_**Pushmata County, Oklahoma** _

The actress looked at her friend with disbelief in her eyes.

“Happy birthday, Ava,” Mary said with a smile.

“You found her?” Ava asked, not wanting to believe the good news in that instant. She had been faced with many disappointments in her search for Beatrice and she did not want one now, especially not on her birthday.

Mary nodded. “Yes. That is the correct address as was confirmed by one of our FBI agents in Oklahoma, a friend I had from before. She was spotted and confirmed to be staying in that cattle ranch for eight months now. I told you, I wouldn’t stop looking for her.”

“But, how?” Ava asked. Her fingers that were on the piece of paper were trembling and she took a seat on one of the plastic chairs in front of her desk to steady herself. Mary sat on the chair in front of her.

“I’ve been going over the street cameras at the back of the courthouse for months. We all know that Beatrice was not alone when she took off. She had some help,” Mary said. “But we were never able to identify who this person was because the hood of their coat was drawn up and their back was always turned to the camera. All we know is that they got into an old, black Nissan Sentra with Beatrice and drove in the direction of the I-40. Then, they changed vehicles at some point because we found that Nissan abandoned in the woods.”

“I had always assumed that the person who helped Beatrice get away was a man because of the obvious height difference in the CCTV footages. The problem was, I did not know of any man whom Beatrice would turn to for help. The closest possibility was JC, but he was present at Jillian’s party. None of Padre Vicente’s men were still alive, except for Lorenzo and Quebral who were both in detention, and so I hit a dead end.”

“It turns out, I was looking at the wrong place all along. Do you know how Crimson has another fight in a month? She is being challenged for her title, the one she was able to wrestle away from Beatrice,” Mary asked.

“I’m not really familiar, but go on,” Ava replied.

“So as a promotion leading up to her next fight, there was a replay of the match between her and Beatrice on TV. I was watching it just last week because I never really got to watch it in its entirety, you know?” Mary continued. “When they faced off in front of the referee for the first time, that was when it hit me. Crimson was the exact same height as the person in the CCTV footage. She was, in fact, present in the courtroom during the preliminary hearing.”

“But why would she help Beatrice?” Ava asked.

“Ava, Beatrice saved her life. Crimson is a proud woman. She seems to be the kind of person who would think that she had a debt she had to pay. She would do anything for Beatrice,” Mary replied. “I was right.”

“You reached out to her? Didn’t she go back to Edinburgh after the hearing?” Ava asked.

“Yes, but she and her father came back just two weeks ago, in preparation for the fight. They are back here in California to train,” Mary said. “I sought her immediately. She denied it at first, as I thought she would. Beatrice would have asked her to vow not to tell anyone.”

“In the end, I told her this was the best way she could repay Beatrice, to let her return to her family, to let her return to you,” Mary added. “Crimson told me that when Beatrice sought her help, she said she only wanted a life of peace and quiet in case her charges get dropped. I told her that Beatrice was young, and instead of just peace and quiet, she deserved happiness as well. She then wrote down the address on the same piece of paper you are holding now and refused to speak to me ever again. I had my friend check it out and confirm. Crimson came through.”

“Oh, Mary!” Ava exclaimed, gripping the piece of yellow note tight and flinging her arms around the former agent. Mary gave her a rare hug in return. “Thank you! Thank you! This is truly the best birthday present ever!”

“You’re welcome,” Mary said. There were tears in her eyes. “We failed her before. We won’t fail her again. She deserves to be found.”

xxx

Ringing the front door of a two-story house in a cattle ranch in Clayton, Oklahoma at five in the afternoon on a Saturday was not what Ava expected to be doing the day after her twenty-second birthday. To be fair, being kidnapped and meeting the love of her life was not what she was expecting at twenty-one, but such was the year she had. So she stood in front of a small wooden front door of a white, cozy-looking home that rested on top of a hill. She had with her a black, leather backpack that contained only her pajamas and one change of clothes. She planned to stay the night, if Beatrice would have her.

Mary had offered to come with her, but Ava knew this was something she wanted to do alone. So the next day, she hopped on the earliest plane she could get on to Oklahoma, telling no one else, not even Camila, what she was up to. Mary’s friend, the FBI agent who confirmed where Beatrice was, picked her up from the airport and dropped her off at the ranch. They were let inside the wooden enclosure of the cattle farm by the young farmhand on the strength of his badge.

Ava’s heart hammered through her chest as she gripped the strap of her backpack that was around her shoulders. She heard the sound of chair legs scraping against wooden floor, and of footsteps approaching. The actress put on a stoic front, trying hard to conceal the excitement and fear she was feeling at the same time. She tried to rehearse on the plane the words she would say when she finally sees Beatrice again, but thought the better of it. She knew her heart would pour out sentences through her mouth and there’s nothing she would be able to do to dictate it.

The door opened by a fraction of an inch. From Ava’s view, she saw an old woman who was shorter than she was. The woman eyed her at first with suspicion, but threw the door wide open as soon as she has formed some kind of recognition.

Ava was greeted by a kind-looking face, the type she pictured her grandmother to have if only she had met her. The crow’s feet around her the old woman’s lids accentuated her warm brown eyes that were smiling at the actress. Her thin mouth and her round cheeks beamed with glee at the sight of her visitor.

“Oh, Charlotte, you’ve grown!” the woman exclaimed, taking Ava by the arm and ushering her into the house. The actress almost stumbled on the rough brown rug that was on the floor, her ankles getting caught in the hem of her white sundress.

“I’m sorry, who?” Ava asked, confused. They stopped at the tiny living room, cramped yet cozy. The old woman made her sit on a plump, red floral couch. It was in front of small, brown varnished coffee table, its surface dressed in a white, crocheted runner. On top of the table rested several Oprah magazines beside a blue, stout, cylindrical glazed vase that housed a fresh bouquet of daisies and baby’s breath. In front of the couch was a small flat-screen television mounted on a wall pasted with red, floral wallpaper on top of a wooden fireplace painted in white. Ava had no doubt that an old woman lived in the space.

“You came for Beatrice, I always told her you would,” the old woman came back from another room, thrusting a cup of tea in Ava’s bare hands.

“Beatrice, you know her?” Ava asked. She rested the teacup on top of the coffee table and removed the backpack from behind her to rest it on the floor.

“Yes, such a nice child, an angel,” the old woman said, placing a wooden coaster beneath the cup before sinking her body into one of the red wingback chairs adjacent to the couch. “She’s been a really great help to me. Made loads of difference in Teresa. She’s happier, more outspoken since Beatrice came into our lives.”

“Teresa?” Ava asked, confused.

“Yes, Teresa! Beatrice is not here, she accompanied Teresa to the city. They’ve been gone since yesterday and would return tomorrow morning,” the old woman said, like Ava should have known.

“So, Beatrice is not here?” Ava confirmed, disappointed. She was so close yet so far.

“I’m sorry, Charlotte, but I told you, they’re coming back tomorrow morning. She’d be thrilled to see you, you must stay the night,” the old woman said.

“You’re too kind but I wouldn’t want to burden you with that. We just met. I can just get a hotel room,” Ava replied, thinking of calling Mary’s friend to pick her up.

“Nonsense!” the old woman said, standing back up. Ava rushed to her side to help her when she saw her struggling to walk. “I’m making spaghetti for dinner, are you really going to leave an old woman alone to her own devices?”

“I guess not,” Ava mumbled to herself. She escorted the old woman into the kitchen. She saw that she had already been chopping onions and garlic on top of the white-tiled kitchen island before she arrived and only then noticed the green apron that she wore on top of her white, lacy dress. Brass pots and pans hung above them.

“Will you wash your hands and prepare the water for the pasta?” the old woman asked.

“Sure,” Ava replied, washing her hands in front of the sink and drying them with a brown paper towel.

“I’m Ava, by the way, Ava Silva. What is your name?” the actress asked as the older woman passed her a pot. Ava filled it with water, noting the absurdity that she was only then introducing herself.

“The pasta is in the cupboard above your head, Charlotte,” the older woman replied.

“Why do you keep calling me Charlotte?” Ava asked, taking a box of Barilla spaghetti noodles out of the cupboard.

“Are you not Charlotte, Beatrice’ childhood friend from the TV? We would watch your show every morning during breakfast,” the old woman replied as she chopped bell peppers.

"Yes, kind of, but -" Ava tried to correct the older woman but she would not let her speak.

“You were a child then but now you’ve grown. You still have the same eyes, though. I recognized you the moment I saw you. Beatrice would be happy to find out you’ve returned and that you’ve forgiven her,” the old woman replied.

“Forgiven? I, uh, what has she told you?” Ava asked.

“That you were a childhood friend! And that she did something really bad,” the old woman replied. “But I told her a true friend would come back, a true friend would forgive, and I was right! Here you are! Beatrice would finally be happy!” she said, grabbing Ava by the shoulders and jumping up and down as high as she could.

“She says she’s happy here, happy with Teresa. But I see it in her eyes that she’s not. She misses you, Charlotte. She misses her oldest friend,” the old woman replied before turning her back to Ava and walking away.

“Hey, where are you going?" Ava yelled after the old woman as she looked at the mess in the kitchen.

“Can you do dinner? My feet are really sore, I need to lie down,” the old woman replied as she walked over to the couch and plopped herself on top of it. She buried her face within the pages of an Oprah magazine before Ava could register a protest.

xxx

“Wow, you have your legs...” Ava heard a child’s dreamy voice whisper.

“Huh?” Ava replied, still half asleep. She felt a rush of wind as the blanket was lifted off her legs.

“I can’t believe you have your legs,” a child’s voice repeated.

“What?” Ava replied, sitting up once she was sure that she was no longer in a dream. A girl of about seven stepped back in surprise, her brown pigtails bouncing in the air. Her round face and kind eyes reminded her of the old woman, and Ava was relieved that the room she was sleeping in was not being broken into. Despite her protests, the old woman, who she discovered was named Melanie, would not let her travel late at night to sleep alone in a hotel room. She was afraid that the actress would miss Beatrice, who she expects to arrive early the next morning. Melanie kept referring to Ava as Charlotte. She tried correcting her thrice but was ignored every time, and so she let it be. After having an early dinner together, Melanie ushered Ava into one of the rooms upstairs, bidding her goodnight before the actress could change her mind. The room’s wallpaper was pink, with fairy lights on the headboard of a single mattress bed that looked like it belonged to a child. Ava was lucky that she was tiny. The actress could do nothing else but change into her pajamas, do some light reading, and pray that Beatrice would indeed come early the next morning.

“Sorry! I just wanted to see if you have your tail,” the girl replied. She inched closer to Ava, gauging if the actress was mad at having been woken up. When Ava tapped the space beside her, the girl sat down excitedly.

“Do you have your voice?” the child asked.

“Yes,” Ava replied, although her voice was still hoarse from the clutches of sleep.

“But you don’t have a tail...” the child said with suspicion.

“I defeated the witch, remember?” Ava replied. “I managed to get my voice back.”

“I wish you’d turn back into a mermaid, I want to see one,” the child said sadly.

“Well,” Ava said, looking outside the window for effect. The house was surrounded by acres and acres of grazing land.

“I could, but it would not be safe for me, right? You see, I need to be in the sea if I am to transform back into a mermaid,” Ava replied. She was already used to children mistaking her for a character she merely played in a movie, and she knew better than to break their hearts. The child stood up immediately upon mention of the sea.

“If I talk to Beatrice about going to the beach, will you change back into a mermaid? I just want a picture to show my friends!” the child said excitedly.

“Beatrice?” Ava’s eyes widened at the mention of the fighter’s name. “Beatrice is here?”

“Yes, we just came back from the big city an hour ago,” the child replied. “Grandma told me not to come upstairs. She said there is a visitor sleeping. I’m sorry I woke you up, Ariel.”

“It’s okay. Can you take me to her?” Ava asked.

“Of course, come on! Come on!,” the child said, excitedly taking Ava’s hand. The actress picked her backpack up from the floor as the little girl led her out of the room.

“Wait up, wait up!” Ava said as they stopped in front of the floor’s shared bathroom. “Let me brush my teeth first.”

xxx

The woman replaced the pair of round-rimmed glasses that kept sliding off her nose bridge. She was thinking of getting it fixed in town, or getting a new pair altogether. She suspected that the headaches she’s been having these past few weeks were borne by an outdated prescription.

She rubbed her temples as she tried to do an inventory of the supplies they need for the ranch for the following week. She wished she could convince Grandma to get even a cheap computer to do spreadsheets on so that she will not have to do her calculations on pen and paper, like she was now. She was trying to erase a miscalculation when she heard the door to the barn house open and the sunlight enter from outside, illuminating her tiny space. There was a double-sized bed that had not been slept in the last two nights pushed to one corner of the studio space. The wooden floorboards had not been swept. The woman planned to deal with all the chores later once she was done with the inventory. The only other furniture she had was the square, white plastic table where she usually does her writing, the matching white plastic, monoblock chair where she was now sitting, and an old wooden cabinet that she had painted bright yellow to liven the space up somehow.

“Beatrice! Beatrice! There’s a mermaid up in the house! We have to go to the beach so she can grow back her tail!” the child went inside the barn house excitedly and jumped up and down in front of the fighter.

“What are you talking about, Terry? I told you to go help Grandma with lunch,” Beatrice replied, glancing only once at the child through the corner of her eyes and then going back to her calculations.

“But the beach! We have to go, please!” the child pleaded.

"We can’t go to the beach, Terry. I just drove back here for three hours, I am tired,” Beatrice sighed. She did not even know what the girl was talking about. Clearly, she just came from watching some fantasy movie. A child’s mind like hers simply wanders off to places unreachable to adults. The fighter wished she had that growing up.

“But I want to see her grow her tail,” the child insisted.

“Teresa...” Beatrice said with a tone that told her the conversation was over. The fighter did not even bother to look up from what she was doing the whole time.

“But it’s Ariel! She’s a special mermaid! She’s a princess! She’s really beautiful, Beatrice, you have to see her,” the child said, now taking one of the fighter’s hands.

“Ariel?” Beatrice asked, finally looking up. “Who are you talking about? You’ve seen someone who looks like Ariel?”

“I saw the real Ariel, she’s up at the house!” the child insisted. Beatrice heard footsteps coming in from beyond the door that the child left ajar and she lifted her gaze from the little girl’s innocent face. Beatrice’ soft, brown eyes were met by a silhouette she had memorized, the curve of the hip she has come to know, the texture of the hair blowing against the wind that she had committed to memory.

“Hey. You cut your hair,” the silhouette spoke and Beatrice dropped her pen on the dusty wooden floor.

“Terry, can you go back up at the house?” Beatrice said, turning once again to the child.

“But the beach,” the child insisted once more.

“I promise I’ll think about it. Now go,” Beatrice said as she gave the child a warm smile and patted her head. The girl turned around to run back to the house, but not without giving Ava, who now stood under the doorway, a big hug. Her little head reached up to the actress’ belly as her tiny arms encircled her waist.

“I love you, Ariel,” she said, looking up at the actress. “We’ll get you to the sea.”

The girl ran up back to the hill where the house was nestled, and Ava and Beatrice were left alone.

The actress took a step inside the barn house, taking in a better look at the fighter, making sure she was real. Her hair, which was the first thing she noticed, rested just a few inches below her ears, and was still damp from the shower she just took. She was wearing the same round-rimmed glasses that she had on their drive to North Dakota, and would wear after training once they’re alone in the room they shared back in the camp. A surge of memories overcame Ava, and all the strong words she had wanted to say to Beatrice, all the anger and hurt, flew out of the window at the sight of the fighter’s nimble frame. She had visibly lost some weight. The intent and fire that had always been in her eyes were gone. Yet, Ava knew it was still Beatrice, her Beatrice, the only one she wanted to belong to.

“How did you find me here?” the fighter stood up, her calculations and inventory were forgotten on the plastic table.

“I was looking for you. We all were looking for you. We never stopped,” Ava said, stepping closer but still keeping the distance between them. She noticed that Beatrice was wearing a green striped shirt under a brown, corduroy overalls that seemed to be twice her size. Ava could not explain the get-up, but somehow, Beatrice made it look hot, like only she could. The air was knocked out of the actress’ lungs at the sight.

“You deserve to found,” she added.

The actress saw Beatrice take a few tentative steps to approach her by the door. The fighter walked slowly, then all at once, rushing towards Ava until she ended up on her knees before the actress. Ava felt her once strong arms encircle her waist to grip her tightly. She ran her hands through the fighter’s short locks as Beatrice' head rested on her torso, hot tears seeping through the fabric of her silk, button-down pajamas. The fighter’s entire body shook as she held Ava.

“I’m sorry, Ava, I’m so so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Beatrice repeated the words, whispering it to the skin on the actress’ belly that was exposed through a button that came undone.

Ava ran her fingers through the ends of Beatrice’ soft, raven, hair, soothing her in return.

“Why did you leave? After I lied for you on the stand, why did you run away with only a note as a goodbye?” Ava asked. She did not sound accusatory, just genuinely curious.

A bevy of sobs racked through Beatrice’ throat as she struggled to speak, and Ava reached down to course a palm down the length of the fighter’s back.

“I was ashamed of myself. Ashamed of who I’ve become. Ashamed that you had to lie for me in order to save me. Ashamed that you love someone like me,” Beatrice finally said as soon as she was able to clear her throat. She looked up at Ava, holding the actress’ gaze through tear-stained eyes. “You do...love me?”

The actress knelt in front of the fighter to meet her eyes. She took her face in her palms, cupping it and brushing Beatrice’ tears away with both thumbs.

“My mouth might have told many lies on the stand, but my heart never could,” Ava replied. “I loved you then, Beatrice. I still love you now. That is simply the truth. I wish I was as eloquent as you are, I wish I had your vocabulary, your words, so that you might believe me. But I wouldn’t be kneeling here with you in this barn house floor if I did not long for you. I wouldn’t have felt empty these past eight months, wouldn’t have ached from the gaping gash that I sustained in my soul the moment I knew that you left, if I did not truly think you belonged with me.”

The sobs that racked Beatrice’ nimble body stopped. In its place, Ava could not believe that she was hearing a soft chuckle. Like a child’s.

“And you say that you’re not eloquent...” Beatrice teased. The actress tapped her lightly on the arm.

“Shut up. I’m baring my soul out in front of you, Beatrice,” Ava said. Hearing her own name roll out of the actress’ tongue was music to the fighter’s ears. “And I might have watched a sappy love story in the plane on my way here.”

The look in Beatrice’ eyes turned serious once more at the implications of what Ava had to go through to get to her. The fighter should have been happy at the actress’ confession, if only she allowed herself to be. Yet, love does not come easy, not for her. Love would not wait on her for months on end, would not turn around every piece of stone just to look for her, would not travel for fifteen hundred miles just to find her. Not for Beatrice. Not for the Beast.

Yet the sight of Ava before her, confessing her love in as many words as she could even when she did not need to proved that once again, Beatrice had been wrong. Like what Camila had told her, like what Lilith had always been saying, Beatrice did not have the answer to everything. And what she did not know, surprised her. Ava, like always, was a surprise, a breath of fresh air, something that fell out of her routine. Beatrice felt lucky that somehow, despite what the actress knew about her, despite every lie, scheme, and conspiracy, and even despite the distance she has placed between them, this woman, who was beautiful and brave and kind and was the best of them, this woman, somehow, still wanted her.

“I think I finally understand,” Ava spoke once again. “I could never imagine what you went through, I wish I had been there for you ever since.”

“But you were,” Beatrice replied. She recalled the show from her childhood, how the actress’ character gave the fighter her first family, her first glimpse at how life could be good. Ava, without knowing it, had been with her all along, the light at the end of the tunnel guiding her out of the darkness that was her childhood. Such was Ava’s magic. Even unwittingly, she sheds light upon everything that she touches.

“I have forgiven you for what you did. When I saw you lying unconscious back in the hospital, I realized that life was too short to resent the one that I loved the most,” Ava continued, stroking Beatrice’ cheek with a finger. “That does not mean that I have healed completely. But I would prefer to do my healing beside you, next to you, belonging to you.”

“If...you would have me,” the actress added, casting her face down. She took her left hand from Beatrice’ face to take one of the fighter’s own and placed their palms side by side, inspecting the marks that mirrored her own, a line that ran from the base of their middle fingers, almost touching the wrists before branching off to another stroke at a 60-degree angle. Ava’s hand buzzed with warmth upon meeting its long lost half. She brought the fighter’s palm to her lips and kissed it.

She heard Beatrice sigh and deflate, like a centuries-old iceberg meeting the rays of the sun for the first time. It was like the skin of her hand was feverish and parched, and it finally tasted a drop of cool honey that was Ava’s lips. The fighter took the actress’ hand that was still on her face and kissed her palm as well. It was Ava’s turn to shudder.

Finally, their lips met at hypervelocity, clinging on to the other in their desperate attempt to stay afloat in the ocean that was their longing. Ava’s fingers dug into Beatrice’ scalp, noting the soft ends of the locks that were in her hands and the fighter moaned into her mouth. The taller woman tried to close her eyes, but the sunlight coming into the barn from outside reminded her that the door was still ajar. The fighter broke the kiss and made a mad rush for the door, pushing it in order to shut it. The large iron barrel bolt squeaked as she swung it in place in order to lock the door, the skin of her thumb clumsily getting caught in between metal in her haste to isolate them from the outside world.

“Damnit!” she hissed as she sucked her now bleeding thumb, but Ava’s mouth was immediately on her nape, lathering the shell of her ear with kisses. Beatrice thought she had left her on the barn house floor, but here the fighter was with her front pinned against the door and the full weight of Ava’s body on her back. She reached behind to grab a fistful of the actress’ hair as Ava’s tongue and teeth grazed through the sensitive spot on the left of her neck, a place that only she knew.

Ava flipped Beatrice over with a force the fighter didn’t know the actress had so that they were now face to face. There was a fire in her eyes, and her desire was an entire forest that was burning. The actress started taking off Beatrice’ overalls, her fingers struggling with the buttons so the fighter met her hands with the same haste to help her. Soon, the piece of clothing was on the floor, its corduroy fabric pooling around the fighter’s bare ankles. The next garment to join it was the green striped shirt.

The actress paused to take the sight of the fighter in. The fact that she was not wearing a bra came as a surprise that her breath got stuck in her throat. Her brown nipples stood taught against the cool morning air from a window that was left open and it took everything for Ava not to devour her right there and then.

When she kissed Beatrice again, it was the actress who was feverish. Her mouth was hot and dry as she nipped and nibbled on the fighter’s wet lips, biting and pulling on the lower twin before meeting Beatrice’ tongue. Ava’s hands were all over the fighter’s naked body, all at once, present in every corner she could reach. She moved as if she’d run out of skin, as if she was making up for the lost time, making her way down Beatrice’ body in a path of kisses, licks, and teeth marks.

Beatrice hissed when Ava ran a hot tongue down her neck and along her collarbones, digging her calloused hands into the scalp of the actress’ brown hair to guide her to her little spots of paradise. Ava pinned the fighter against the wall desperately, thankful that she just found her, afraid that she would lose her, fearful for this moment to end. She took each nipple in her mouth, sucking the brown pebbles in a helpless attempt to absorb all of Beatrice and the fighter bucked her hips in response.

She only slowed down when her lips reached the fighter’s belly. The ripples of muscle that used to be in place were gone, instead replaced by a prominent and shiny scar about six inches long. The marks from the stitches that used to hold together the skin in the area were still visible. Just a few inches above it was the fish and an eye tattoo located beneath a tiny pink birthmark that was the only clue to Beatrice before the Beast. All three marks were found on the left side of the fighter’s body, all telling a piece of her history. Ava was almost kneeling before the fighter, and her eyes trembled as she looked up to meet her gaze. Beatrice nodded.

The actress gave the scar a kiss so soft that Beatrice almost missed it. She started from its tip, making her way up, carefully making sure that no spot was left unloved.

When that was done, she turned her lips to the tattoo, telling Beatrice that she has accepted who she was. She then kissed and blew on her birthmark, to say she loved her no matter where she came from. The fighter shivered at the contact.

She gazed up once again.

“I love you, all of you,” Ava whispered, almost mouthing the words, but Beatrice understood.

“I love you, too,” she replied.

Ava’s kisses found their way south, once again, stopping only when she saw that the fighter was still wearing a pair of grey women’s briefs. Beatrice stuck two thumbs beneath the garment’s waistband and it soon joined its cousins on the floor.

The actress wasted no moment, nudging the fighter’s legs with her hands to part them and using her fingers to spread her folds. Beatrice hissed once again when Ava dove in, taking a whiff of the intoxicating scent that she missed dearly, before plunging in tongue first.

She ran a tongue along the entire length of Beatrice’ wet slit before settling for the nub on top, loving the tiny, pink, pebble with the flattened tip of her tongue. She ventured gently at first, and then with more force once the fighter started bucking against her mouth. Beatrice opened her legs wider, and Ava took a hand beneath her left thigh to help her lift it on top of her shoulder, giving the actress more access to her slit. She placed two fingers knuckle deep inside Beatrice when the fighter was wet enough and ready, while her mouth never left her nub, alternating her ministrations between licking, sucking, and lightly biting.

Ava’s rhythm never faltered for minutes, and neither did the fighter’s moans. She began calling out the actress’ name in wild abandon, making known that she belonged to her as her hips bucked to meet the fingers thrusting deep within her. The actress knew the fighter was close, so close, and the knowledge only fueled Ava to plunge her fingers in and out of her faster. A few seconds later, Beatrice came undone, her wetness dribbling down the actress's mouth and chin as she supported the legs that buckled beneath the fighter’s weight with her strong arms.

“You’re still dressed,” Beatrice said the moment she was able to compose herself. The fighter’s fingers flew to the buttons of Ava’s pajamas to undo them, while the actress’ fingers went to the garter around her waist to let the pajama bottoms fall on the floor. Beatrice was pleased to find out that Ava was not wearing any underwear, and it was her turn to push her into the lone bed. The actress’ bare back met the bedsheets with a dark look in her eyes, but she did not have time to take in Beatrice, who was naked and already on top of her, because the fighter turned her over so that she was now lying on her front. The fighter traced Ava’s spine with a finger, scratching her nails down the actress’ back before trailing the red marks with light kisses. Ava shuddered upon each contact.

She was going to take Ava the way the actress wanted to be taken, from behind and with a fistful of her hair in the fighter’s hand. Ava positioned herself, placing the palms of her hands on the wall adjacent to the bed to steady her nude body. From behind the actress, Beatrice let go of her brown tresses, and ran her palms all over the actress’ front, before stopping to take a breast in each hand. She toyed with both nipples at the same time, pinching and pulling the little brown nubs until Ava was whimpering for release beneath her.

Beatrice reached down with her right hand, past the actress’ curls, and spread her wetness with her fingers, teasing the little bundle of nerves that was there, before plunging in one finger, and then another, and then another, and curling her digits to the direction of Ava’s navel. She hit a spongy film inside that almost made the actress howl. After all these months, Beatrice still knew her spot.

She kept at the spot, thrusting in and out of Ava with a rhythm that made the actress thrash, while she caressed a breast with another hand. The actress snaked an arm around Beatrice’ nape as she bucked her hips into pleasure. The hand that was on her breast went down to her clit. It took only three flicks from the fighter’s fingers and Ava came against Beatrice’ hand, her wetness blanketing the fighter's palm.

Their naked bodies fell in a heap on top of the fighter’s bed, sweat lining both of their sternums. Beatrice held Ava as she shuddered, waiting for the actress to come down from her high before she crawled down from on top of Ava, spreading her legs with her hands to take a whiff of her scent.

There was a dark look in the fighter’s eyes as she held the actress’ gaze.

“Take me, Beatrice,” Ava said. “Please.”

Beatrice did as she was told, and more.

xxx

“I need a cigarette,” Beatrice said as she lifted herself from on top of Ava for the third time and sank her body next to her.

“You smoke now?” Ava asked, worry etched across her face. She turned to face her lover, running her fingers down the ribs that were now visible and her thinned arms. The bones of her pelvis stuck out into the air and the actress drew the covers up to their chests.

“I’m trying to pick a habit,” Beatrice replied with all seriousness in her voice.

“I don’t want to have to tell you what to do, you’re older than I am. Besides, you’re an athlete!” Ava scolded her and the fighter chuckled.

“Not anymore, I don’t think so,” Beatrice replied, tracing lazy circles down Ava’s back from underneath the sheets. “No, I don’t smoke. I just feel like it now. I feel like I am on a high. You intoxicate me. I feel like trying every vice available to man, all at once, now.”

“Oooh, what a badass,” Ava replied into the fighter’s neck. Her hands crept up to Beatrice’ shoulder blades that now protruded, tracing the sharp bones with the pads of her fingers.

“You can ask, you know,” Beatrice said, searching the actress’ eyes for questions.

“You’ve gotten thinner...” Ava started, her voice laced with worry.

“I don’t train anymore, so I no longer feel as hungry,” Beatrice replied. “And my work around the farm is not manual, mostly bookkeeping and inventory. After my surgeries, I simply lost appetite for about three months. That was when most of my weight came off. I’m trying to build my weight back up. I just installed a kitchen in the back so I could do my own cooking. Grandma, sadly, is not the best cook out there.”

“But your physical therapy, you still continue it?” Ava asked.

“Not since I came here, no,” the fighter replied. “I couldn’t afford it. I don’t have insurance, you see. I just continued to do what I was doing back in L.A. and tried to supplement it with what I learned from the internet. I guess I’m not doing so bad? I can now run around the perimeter of the ranch every morning. When I first came here, I could not even go up and down from the house on top of the hill without having to catch my breath.”

“So, you don’t get to have your liver and your rib checked ever so often, either?” Ava asked. Her hand went down to the bullet scar unwittingly.

“No,” Beatrice shook her head. “Don’t worry about me, Ava, I’ve been feeling fine.” The fighter shifted to lay on her back, avoiding the actress’ gaze. Ava knew that as a signal that the topic was over. No matter, she would press on at another time.

“Beatrice, why did you really leave?” Ava asked, finally addressing the elephant in the room.

The fighter moved to lay her head on the actress’ chest. She took one of Ava’s hands and kissed it.

“I was full of dread. In the days leading up to the preliminary trial, my heart was just full of fear,” Beatrice started.

“That you’d end up behind bars?” Ava asked, kissing the top of the fighter’s head.

“No,” Beatrice replied. “That I’d end up free. You see, I was so used to belonging to someone, like chattel. I had lived the entire life that I’ve known within Padre Vicente’s shadow. But being free, being on my own? I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“I wouldn’t know what options to take, which path to choose,” the fighter continued. “Most of all, I was afraid that you’ll find out that the Beatrice that was on her own, the Beatrice that was free? Maybe she had nothing to offer. I did not know how to not be needed.”

“Beatrice, I know it might be hard for you now,” Ava said, cradling the fighter’s head in her hands. “But you must begin to believe that you do not need to be needed in order to be loved. Certainly, not by me.”

“I will try, I promise,” Beatrice replied. “And so I thought to get away, to go to a place where no one knew me, where no one would think what to expect. I spoke to Crimson and asked for her help when she visited me at the hospital. Grandma and Terry, they’re distant relatives of hers who came from a branch of her family that immigrated to the states in the twenties.”

“Terry’s parents, they separated when she was five. I drove Terry to visit her father in the city, that’s why we were away. He has visitation rights but couldn’t come down to the ranch this weekend because of work. Terry’s mom is abroad but would be returning this week. Grandma told me that after her parents separated, Terry refused to speak altogether, until I arrived at the ranch. I guess she found a friend,” Beatrice continued.

“She’s important to you?” Ava asked.

“Yes. She’s just a child and I want to protect her,” Beatrice replied. “Most of all, I strive to become the adult friend who would guide her and watch her blossom. What I never had growing up.”

“How is everyone?” Beatrice asked after a few moments of silence. She laced her fingers with Ava’s, watching their hands dance into a lock against the barn house ceiling.

“The prosecutors are finally ready to file the cases against Adriel by next month. I am preparing myself to testify,” Ava recounted.

“I’m so proud of you,” Beatrice replied.

“Mary and Lilith are kind of together,” Ava blurted out.

“What do you mean kind of?” Beatrice asked.

“Lilith has not moved out of Mary’s house ever since, and they hold hands whenever they are with each other, so I guess, they are together?” Ava replied. “What, you don’t approve?”

“Of course, I approve, not that my permission is required. I think they’re good for each other. Lilith would sometimes act like the spoiled daughter of the head of a criminal organization that she was, and I know Mary wouldn’t allow herself to be anyone's doormat. Lilith can learn a thing or two,” Beatrice replied. “I’m happy for them.”

“Lilith is working for the non-profit organization we set up in the wake of us exposing Adriel after your fight. She’s now a paralegal and is also doing modeling for Blaire on the side. She’s also been cast in a small role in an indie film that Blaire is producing. She’s really excited,” Ava narrated. “Jillian’s helping her gain custody of Diego. She has a real fighting chance.”

Beatrice sighed at the mention of the boy.

“She doesn’t resent you for leaving,” Ava said, feeling the guilt that the fighter was sure to be struggling with all these months. “But she misses you. We all do.”

“Anyway, Camila now works as my assistant while I introduce her to recording artists and producers. Shannon runs the sports reform arm of the non-profit. She also coaches an all women kickboxing team in L.A.,” the actress continued. “I work with her to help her promote the team. She has also become my personal trainer.”

“Yeah, I know,” Beatrice said. There was pride in her voice. Everyone’s lives seem to have changed for the better once they became entangled with the same person she’s entangled with underneath the covers. There was no denying that that was Ava’s effect. “I follow you on Instagram.”

“You finally run your own Instagram account?” Ava asked, not believing her ears. If only she knew Beatrice was just a dm away.

“No, I never knew the passwords to those accounts. Only Camila had access to them,” the fighter replied. “I created an anonymous account. Which brings me...”

Beatrice sat up from the bed and stood up, and the actress immediately missed her warmth. She walked naked to her cabinet and took a gift-wrapped box from within.

“Here,” she said, holding the box up to Ava. The actress took it from her hands.

“I was planning to send this anonymously for your birthday when I go to town tomorrow morning, but I guess, since you’re now here,” Beatrice replied, sitting down next to the actress on the bed. “Here you go.”

“You know my birthday?” Ava asked as she ripped apart the wrapper. A plain white box the size of a shoebox was revealed to her.

“Of course, I know your birthday,” Beatrice replied, kissing her temple. “Belated happy birthday, Ava.”

The actress lifted the lid of the box and saw a pair of yellow kickboxing gloves and a pair of elastic wraps nestled inside.

“I knew you were training with Shannon from your Instagram stories, and I saw the gloves and the wraps she’s making you use. We always had arguments about that brand. She’s partial to it but I find them really stiff and hard to break in. Those gloves would injure your hands,” Beatrice explained. “This is that brand that I use...er...used...before.”

“Anyway, I don’t want you to injure your hands, I love your hands,” she added with finality, blinking and looking away. Ava placed a hand on her cheek and made the fighter face her.

“Thank you, Beatrice. This is really thoughtful of you. Thank you for still taking care of me,” Ava said. When the fighter did not reply, she added, “you miss it? Fighting?”

“Yes, of course. Not as much as I miss you, though,” the fighter replied.

“You could still have it all back,” Ava said. “You could still have me.”

Beatrice struggled to speak. She swallowed the lump in her throat, shaking her head and blinking rapidly. When she faced the actress once more, there was courage in her eyes.

“I know that now,” she replied finally and kissed Ava once again, savoring her taste that was her salvation. The actress deepened the kiss, but it was Beatrice who broke it first, needing air. The actress noted how the fighter’s lungs were not as strong as they used to be and filed it in her mind in the list of things that the fighter needed to heal from.

She pushed Beatrice away from her gently with a hand on her chest and stood up from the bed, walking towards the middle of the barn house to retrieve the backpack that lay discarded and forgotten on the floor when she ran to the fighter to pin her against the door. She took an illustrated book from inside the bag and approached Beatrice on the bed with it.

“Lilith and I took this from the mansion before we left for your fight. I want you to have it back. This book gave you hope. This book led you to me,” Ava said. “Look, I don’t believe in actual magic. This children’s story, the markings on our palms? I think everything was just a coincidence. But even coincidences could be magical. Someone once told me that there is so little magic in this world that we must not let go of it when we find it.”

Beatrice took the book from the actress’ hands and flipped through its familiar pages. She stopped at an illustration of Cupid that would have been unrecognizable if the fighter had not memorized each watercolor illustration.

“What happened here?” Beatrice wondered. She took care of the book as if it was her greatest treasure.

“My tears fell on that page when I was crying while reading it back in Lilith’s room. Padre Vicente had just threatened to have you killed after the fight and that was when I realized that even though I should be angry at you, I could not actually bear not having you in my life,” Ava replied. “I’m sorry.”

Beatrice smiled. The picture book was no longer her own. A part of Ava was already lodged in it. The part that was understanding and forgiving, and most of all, loving. She closed the book and handed it back to the actress.

“You should have it. I know that story by heart,” Beatrice said. Ava understood and nodded, returning the object back to her bag.

“Thank you, Ava,” Beatrice said.

“What for now?” the actress chuckled.

“For taking care of Lilith, Diego, and Camila while I was gone, for taking care of everyone, really,” Beatrice replied.

“Beatrice, I told you, they don’t resent you for not being there for them. You don’t have to bear that burden all the time,” Ava said, taking the fighter’s face in her hands. “And besides, they want to take care of you, too. We all do.”

“I certainly do,” Ava added, punctuating the sentence with a kiss. Beatrice caressed the hand that was on her cheek and nodded.

“I know that now,” she replied.

“I think you need to go to therapy, not just physical therapy,” Ava suggested. “I know I am overdue for it, myself.”

The fighter did not speak, although she knew the actress was right.

“We can do it together, if you’re feeling afraid,” Ava said. “Or separately, if that’s what the therapist says we need, but still together. Do you get what I mean? You don’t need to worry about the money, for now. I know how you feel about asking me for help, but Jillian said that you’re bound to get money as reparation after almost getting murdered by Adriel. Lilith’s already got hers as Vincent’s heir.”

“Okay, I’ll go to therapy,” Beatrice finally acceded.

“And your physical therapy, as well?” Ava knew she was pushing it, but she did not want to waste this moment when the fighter was agreeable.

“Yes, I’ll continue with my physical therapy, as well,” Beatrice replied. “I might need some assistance with paying for it -"

The actress was about to reassure the fighter, but the other woman shook her head and smiled, telling her there was no need.

“But I know how to ask for help now,” Beatrice continued.

xxx

The lovers spent the rest of the day with limbs intertwined in bed, sharing stories of the past eight months. Ava was laughing particularly about Beatrice’ story of her first time milking a cow when they heard the low rumble of the actress’ stomach. Beatrice glanced at the time on her phone. It was thirty minutes past six in the evening. They had not had any food all day.

“Want to go up to the house to have dinner? I know I said that Grandma’s cooking is not the best, but I haven’t done my shopping and there’s nothing in my fridge that I could make into something remotely decent. Unless you’d rather order something in?” Beatrice asked.

“No, it’s fine. I think I’d like to get to know her and Terry more. They took care of my baby for the past eight months,” Ava replied, smoothing Beatrice’ short locks once again. The fighter let out a sigh. It was the first time that the actress gave her a pet name. She could get used to this.

Beatrice got up and walked to her closet, taking a yellow, long-sleeved flannel shirt and a pair of jogger pants for Ava to wear. She, herself, got dressed in the green striped shirt and the overalls that were discarded on the floor in her haste to get naked for the actress.

They have an early dinner back up at the house, with Ava racing Beatrice to the top of the hill and winning for the first time. Terry greeted them excitedly, throwing her arms around _the mermaid_ as soon as she saw her. Grandma made some fried chicken steaks, and Beatrice snuck inside the kitchen and tried to repair her gravy as Ava distracted the two with stories. The older woman referred to the actress as Charlotte while the little girl kept calling her Ariel. Ava no longer bothered to correct the two.

The entire house had to retire early because tomorrow was a school day for Terry. The little girl had wanted _Ariel_ to read her a story for bedtime. Ava obliged and allowed Terry to lead her upstairs and back into the room where she slept just the night before. After brushing her teeth and changing into her pajamas, Terry lied down on her bed with the covers up to her chin as she listened to the actress tell her a bedtime story. Ava read from The Little Mermaid Read-Along Storybook that was in Terry’s tiny bookcase by the bed, narrating with the actual voice she used for the movie. The little girl was so engaged in the act that three chapters in and she hasn’t yawned, not even once. From where she was standing by the door frame and through the glow of the fairy lights in the dark room, Beatrice saw fatigue beginning to settle on her lover’s face. She stepped in and told Terry that mermaids have to go to sleep before nine in the evening, or else she would never get to grow her tail back.

“You can sleep beside me, then,” Terry said, pouting. Ordinarily, that would have worked on Beatrice, but the fighter yearned to be alone with Ava once again so there was no way she was going to allow that to happen.

“I can’t sleep in your bed, Terry,” Ava started, quickly thinking of another fantastical excuse. “Mermaids just...wet the bed when they go to sleep.”

“Wet the bed?” Terry and Beatrice said at the same time, the fighter with a more incredulous tone than the little one.

“Um, uh,” Ava rubbed her temples. That sounded more magical in her head.

“I always wet the bed,” Terry replied with a cheerful voice. “My classmates tease me for it. I’m glad that you’re like me, Ariel.”

“Well, we can’t have both of you wetting this one bed, could we?” Beatrice said. “Come on, Terry, say goodnight.”

The child was disappointed, but said her goodnight nonetheless, giving a kiss on each of Beatrice’ and Ava’s right cheek, planting a particularly fat and noisy one on the actress. The pair closed the door of the little girl’s room, made their way downstairs to say goodnight to Grandma who was preparing to sleep on the couch with the television on, and made their way back downhill to retire in the barn house for the day.

The pair took their shower together in the lone bathroom of the barn house, soaping away the sweat that was layered on their skin due to an entire day of lovemaking. Ava insisted on taking care of Beatrice, lathering shampoo into her scalp, forming fragrant bubbles on her short locks that she realized she was crazy about. The actress kneaded the fighter’s flesh, paying gentle attention to her marks and scars. Ava then held Beatrice against her own body as she scrubbed her back, feeling the bones that were sticking out with her nimble fingers. The actress worried about the fighter’s apparent loss of weight. She understood Beatrice’ explanation that the decrease in physical activity caused her to have less appetite than before, but Ava wondered whether the quality of Grandma’s cooking was the real culprit. The actress was determined to take up cooking once she’s back in California, intending to beef up Beatrice in no time. The water from the showerhead tried to make its way to the floor through the diminishing crevices in between their bodies as the pair kissed, rinsing the soap suds away.

“My flight back to L.A. is at four in the afternoon,” Ava said, absently fiddling with Beatrice’ fingers as they lied together in bed once more, staring at the bare ceiling. “I’ve arranged transportation with Mary’s friend to take me back to the airport.”

“There is no need for that, I’ll drive you,” Beatrice replied. There were undertones of sadness in her voice at the prospect of being separated from the actress too soon. “We can leave at around one, it’s an hour and forty-minute drive to the airport.”

“I’m sorry, I would love to stay, but I have several late-night cocktails scheduled,” Ava said.

“I understand,” Beatrice replied, forcing a smile. She shifted in bed to lay her head on the actress’ chest.

“Beatrice?” Ava said tentatively. The fighter heard a hum near the actress’ heart as she spoke her name.

“Mhmm,” the fighter replied, quite sleepily.

“I’m one of the hosts of the upcoming MET Gala,” Ava started. “This year’s theme focuses on women and they brought me in for my work in Between Us.”

Beatrice was silent, letting the actress speak.

“That’s happening on the third of May, around two weeks from now,” Ava continued. “I was planning on going stag...but I guess, now that you’re back in my life...” the actress said, treading carefully, and Beatrice chuckled.

“Yes, I’ll be your date, if that’s what you’re asking me,” the fighter said and propped her upper body on her elbows to give the actress a kiss.

“Great! That’s super,” Ava replied with a big grin on her face. “The theme this year is Fashion and Fantasy.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know what to wear...” the fighter said, insecurity slowly creeping in.

“Don’t worry about that. Camila would take care of that,” the actress replied. “I’m thinking you’d be blazing hot in...leather and...chainmail.”

“Alright, I trust you,” Beatrice replied. The lovers spent a few more minutes in companionable silence before the actress spoke once more.

“Beatrice,” she started. “What do you plan to do after this? I mean, I don’t mind a long-distance relationship, I think. As long as it’s with you.”

“Relationship?” Beatrice asked. There was a hurt look in the actress’ eyes until she realized that the fighter’s tone was teasing.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it,” the fighter chuckled into Ava’s neck. She intertwined her fingers with that of the actress’.

“I guessed it was safe to claim the girlfriend title since I’ve been pretty much your soulmate since we were kids,” Ava said.

“You really think that?” Beatrice asked, taking a peek at the actress from the crook of her neck.

“I do,” Ava replied.

“I am your girlfriend, then,” Beatrice said with a smile.

“But seriously, what’s going to happen now?” the actress asked.

“I would prefer to live near where you live,” Beatrice replied. “But I could not uproot my life here in an instant. Even though Terry’s mom is going to return this week, I have to make sure that the matters I attend to in this ranch are settled, and that Grandma would be okay. I also have to ease Terry into my goodbye. And there’s also the all-important question of having a job and an actual place to stay in back in L.A. now that I can no longer be your Malibu neighbor.”

“I understand,” Ava said. “Well, I’ll see you in two weeks for the MET Gala? Two weeks is no time at all.”

“Yes, no time at all,” Beatrice replied with a smile.

xxx

Beatrice woke Ava up at around ten the next morning. The fighter was already freshly showered and dressed. She lent the actress a pair of jeans and a thin, white, cotton shirt to wear. When Ava was done getting ready, the lovers headed back to the house on top of the hill once again. Grandma had invited them for brunch. The old woman was alone in her house when they arrived, Terry having been picked up by the school bus hours ago.

The three were having a lively conversation over leftover fried chicken steaks and corn when the landline phone on top of the breakfast island rang. It was Beatrice who got up to get it.

“Yes, this is she,” Ava heard the fighter say over the receiver.

“I’m sorry to hear that, yes of course, yes, of course, we’ll pick her up,” Beatrice continued. “Great, thanks for letting me know. Bye.”

“Is everything alright?” Ava asked as soon as the fighter sat back down at the dining table.

“It’s Terry, she got into a fight with a classmate and it would have turned physical had her teacher not come in time,” Beatrice replied.

“A fight? That’s not like my Teresa,” grandma remarked.

“I know, well, she went to school telling everyone that a mermaid slept in her room and her classmates would not believe her so she got into a fight,” Beatrice said.

“Oh no,” Ava replied. She thought that maybe she should not have encouraged the little girl’s fantasies.

“It’s not your fault, Ava. How could you have known?” Beatrice said. “Maybe we can pick her up. Her school is on the way to the airport.”

“Sure, of course,” Ava replied, and then her face lit up. “I have an idea.”

xxx

Ava sat beside Beatrice as the fighter drove the ranch’s Ford F250 that seemed like it was from a time when Grandma was still dating around. The ride was bumpy, the upholstery inside the truck was falling apart, but Beatrice held her hand along the way and so everything was perfect for Ava.

“You don’t have to do this,” Beatrice said, as she steered the wheel with one hand. The pair cruised through the road that would lead to Terry’s school. “Your presence could cause a ruckus.”

“These are first graders, what could go wrong?” Ava replied. She moved closer to the fighter, tucking a short lock of raven hair behind her ear.

“Well, then, last chance to back out,” the fighter said as she pulled into the half-empty parking lot of the school.

“I’m here for Terry, Beatrice,” Ava replied with a smile as she stepped out of the truck. Her backpack, the only thing she brought to Oklahoma, was strapped around her shoulders. “Once her classmates see me, they’ll know that Terry is telling the truth and they’ll leave her alone."

“You can leave your bag in the car,” Beatrice said, following the actress to the entrance of the building.

“Nah, there’s nothing in here, and you locked the car anyway,” Ava replied.

“Would you like me to carry it for you?” the fighter asked.

“I’m fine, Beatrice,” the actress replied. “Just go speak with the security.”

Ava stopped at the bottom of the steps that led to the blue double door entrance of the one-story building, one of which was left open. It was a small school. The actress tried to recall the last time she was inside the halls of the public school system as a student. She’d been homeschooled ever since she became a child actor.

It was dismissal time for some of the younger students and the kids filed out and waited for their turn to board a yellow school bus that was parked nearby. A handful of students stared and waved at the actress and Ava smiled back. Those who were already inside the bus pressed their faces against the glass windows to get a closer look.

“Ms. Finch expects me,” Beatrice started speaking to the security, a woman about half her height, when she heard her name from the open door.

“Beatrice!” Ms. Finch got the fighter’s attention. She was a woman about two years older than her, in a grey pencil skirt and a pink cardigan on top of a white button-down blouse. Ms. Finch wore her long, blonde hair down her shoulders and in a tidy headband. There was a dark look on her face as she approached Beatrice, one that Ava recognized all too well because it was the same look she reserves for the fighter whenever she sees her naked. As far as the actress was concerned, Beatrice was dressed.

Ms. Finch wrapped her fingers around the crook of Beatrice’ elbow and the actress was incensed.

“I’m so glad you are available to pick Terry up. I know how imaginative she could be, but it’s really not like her to make up stories and tall tales,” Ms. Finch said as she led the fighter into the building.

“Terry’s not lying,” Ava said, joining the pair at the top of the stairs.

“Ava Silva!” Ms. Finch exclaimed, removing her hand from the crook of Beatrice’ elbow. “I’m sorry, I did not see you there.”

“Margo Finch,” she said, straightening her blouse and offering a hand to the actress. Ava gave her a firm shake.

“My friend, Ms. Silva, is visiting and she was staying at the ranch. Terry met her and mistook her for a character she played in a movie. You know how children could not really tell the difference,” Beatrice explained. “You know who Ms. Silva is, don’t you?”

“Of course, I know _your friend_ ,” Ms. Finch let the last two words roll out of her tongue with intent. Living outside the city and almost isolated in a ranch for eight months made Beatrice forget her own celebrity. She certainly failed to remember that Ms. Finch would have known who Ava was, not just for her blockbuster movie, but for her much-publicized profession of her undying love for the person who was suspected of kidnapping her, on the witness stand, nonetheless.

“Well, to Terry, shall we?” Beatrice said, clearing her throat and motioning for Ms. Finch to lead them to where her student is.

“Of course, this way,” Ms. Finch replied, leading the two into a brightly lit corridor. Some of the older students and teachers stared at Ava as the trio passed by the classrooms.

“She’s in the library. We just started this new program wherein the last period for first graders is storytime. The librarian reads the kids stories from picture books. Our aim is to introduce to the little ones the love for reading, and to showcase how the library could be a friendly place,” Ms. Finch explained as they walked to the end of the corridor. She stopped in front of a pink door and turned the knob.

“And the classmate she fought with?” Beatrice asked before the door could open.

“She’s also inside, but we asked them to sit apart for now. They’re best friends you see,” Ms. Finch replied and opened the door to the library.

“Mr. Kim?” the teacher called the attention of the librarian. The tables and chairs of the tiny library were pushed against the walls to make a space in the middle where Mr. Kim sat, picture book in hand, around fifteen children seated on the floor.

“We just finished with the story, Ms. Finch,” Mr. Kim said.

“We have visitors for Terry,” Ms. Finch replied. She stepped aside to reveal Ava and Beatrice behind her.

At the sight of the actress, one little girl sitting in the back row jump from her spot on the floor. Her face lit up. “Ariel!”

Her classmates all turned their heads to face Ava who stood underneath the doorway. Terry ran up to her to give her a hug which the actress returned. The girl’s classmates, at least those who have seen her movie, stood up to approach and inspect her.

“Hey, it really is the Little Mermaid! Terry was right!” one kid said.

“Why is your hair not red?”

“What happened to your tail?”

A chorus of curiosity encircled Ava and Terry. The child, at that point, was beaming widely.

“Is Terry your friend?” a little red-headed girl approached Ava and tugged at her shirt.

“Yes, Terry and I are very good friends,” Ava replied.

“Can I be your friend, too?”

“Yes, can I be your friend?”

“How about me?”

“And me! And me!”

“Of course. Mermaids love to be friends with children if they are good,” Ava said. The actress now crouched on her knees to meet Terry’s classmates eye to eye.

“That means you must be nice to your classmates, you don’t fight, you don’t tease,” the actress said, addressing a different kid each time. “You do your homework and you read lots of books!”

“I’m a good kid!”

“Yeah, I’m nice!”

“We’re all friends here!" the redhead said, putting her arm around Terry’s shoulders and that of another classmate’s. “And Terry is my best friend!”

“Can I have a photo with you, Ariel?”

“Yeah, me too!”

“I want a photo, too!”

“How about the entire class take a photo with me? How about that? So no one gets left behind,” Ava suggested.

“That’s a great idea, can we join as well?” Mr. Kim said excitedly.

“Of course, come on, gather around me,” Ava replied. “You, too, Ms. Finch.”

That was an offer of reconciliation from the actress which the teacher accepted with a smile. After all, Ava could not blame the woman if she was attracted to Beatrice.

“Beatrice, can you please take the photo,” Ava said as she placed her arms around the shoulders of the kids nearest her.

“Yes, of course, whose phone should I use?” Beatrice replied. She was observing the adorable scene unfold before her, glad to be on the sidelines to watch Ava do her magic with the children.

“Use mine,” Mr. Kim said, handing his iPhone 7 to the fighter who took it with both hands.

“Alright, one, two, three! Say cheese!” Beatrice said, herself also smiling.

“Cheese!” the children replied in varying tones and volumes. Beatrice took three shots and handed over the phone to its owner. The children, including Terry, now converged around Mr. Kim to inspect the photos. A little boy approached Ava and tugged at her shirt to get her attention.

“You said we can be friends if I read lots of books? I find it difficult to read sometimes because I mix up letters. Sometimes, words appear backward,” the child said. “But I love stories! I love listening to Mr. Kim read them. Will you read us a story?”

The other kids who overheard the exchange shouted a chorus of “Yes please! Read us a story, Ariel!”

“Listen,” Beatrice said, addressing Mr. Kim and Ms. Finch. “We’re actually running to the airport. There’s a high chance that Ava will already miss her flight because we stopped by here...”

“It’s okay, Beatrice,” Ava said. “There’s no way I’m still making that flight anyway, might as well read for the kids.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to do this, Ava,” Beatrice said uneasily.

“Of course, it’s not every day I get to meet this lovely class,” Ava replied. “Can you do me a favor, though? Can you call Camila and tell her to rebook my flight to the next earliest schedule possible? Here, use my phone,” Ava said, taking her phone out of her pocket and offering it to the fighter. Beatrice took it tentatively.

“I don’t know...I haven’t spoken to her in months, or to anyone else, really,” Beatrice said, more like a whisper.

“Hey,” Ava said soothingly. “It’s Camila, your friend who flew to California from North Dakota in a heartbeat to help you and support you. She misses you, too. She’d be glad to hear your voice. You can do this.”

“Alright,” Beatrice said. “Thank you for doing this for Terry. I know this means so much to her.”

“If you love her, then I love her, too, Beatrice. Besides, she’s a great kid,” Ava replied.

“Now, where do I sit?” the actress said, addressing Mr. Kim.

“On this chair, Ms. Silva,” Mr. Kim said, patting the white plastic chair in the middle of the open space inside the library. The kids gathered around and sat on the floor in a semi-circle without having to be told.

“Now, what story do you want me to read?” Ava asked the children.

“How about Charlie Changes into a Chicken? You all loved that one,” Mr. Kim suggested to the class.

“You already read that one last week Mr. Kim,” a child replied.

“The Racehorse Who Learned to Dance?”

“Also done!”

“First Prize for the Worst Witch?”

“All done, Mr. Kim!” the children chanted in chorus.

“I’m afraid I’ve read the last of our picture books a while ago, Ms. Finch,” Mr. Kim said. “I just placed an order for new titles last Friday.”

“Well, have Ms. Silva read a really old story, the kids might not even remember,” Ms. Finch whispered in reply.

“No, no, not to worry,” Ava said. She sat down on the plastic chair and removed her backpack from behind her to unzip it. “I have the perfect book right here.”

She took out a thin picture book, its pages wide and glossy. There was a watercolor illustration of a cherubim on its cover, his hands on a bow and an arrow shaped like a shiny needle.

“You happen to have a children’s picture book in your bag?” Ms. Finch asked, amused.

“It’s just a coincidence, Ms. Finch,” Ava replied. “But coincidences, too, can be magical.”

The actress held Beatrice’ gaze as she spoke those words, and then gave her a nod to encourage her to finally talk to Camila. Beatrice smiled and stepped out of the library, closing the door as she exited.

“This story is called Cupid and the Myth of the Thread,” were the last words the fighter heard before she shut the door behind her.

Beatrice leaned back against the library door and unlocked Ava’s phone. Her passcode was the fighter’s birth date, an information they just discovered less than a year ago. Beatrice saw that the actress had already changed her lock screen to a selfie they took last night before they went to bed. The fighter was looking directly at the phone’s camera with a smile while Ava looked at her adoringly. Her heart melted. She thought of getting a phone with a better LCD display so she could use that picture as a wallpaper as well.

She scrolled through Ava’s contacts but Camila’s name was nowhere to be found. In fact, instead of names, the actress used adjectives to save phone numbers. Beatrice’ finger stopped scrolling when she saw a contact named ‘ _hot girl_ ’ before another one saved as ‘ _hot girl girlfriend_.’ The fighter chuckled to herself. She recognized _hot girl’s_ number as Lilith’s, the only one of two phone numbers she has memorized. She could only assume that _hot girl girlfriend_ was Mary.

She scrolled up and down once again, until she found a description that suited Camila. She clicked on ' _is a cinnamon roll, could actually kill_ _you_ ' and called the number, hoping against hope that it was the number of her friend. The person on the other end picked up after two rings.

“Hey, Ava, I hope you’re already at the airport,” it was Camila’s voice, no doubt.

“Hey, Camila, this is Beatrice,” the fighter began. She noticed that her voice was shaking. She was met with silence from the other end. It took a while before her former assistant replied.

“Hey, Beatrice, it’s really good to hear from you again,” Camila said. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too, Camila,” Beatrice replied. “I am so so sorry for leaving you.”

“I understand that you did what you think you needed to do,” Camila said. “I hope you know that I will support you no matter what.”

“I know that, Camila, I’ve always known,” Beatrice replied. She heard sniffles from the other side. “Are you crying, Camila?”

“I’m just really happy, Bea,” Camila said. “You’re speaking to me using Ava’s phone. I’m just really happy that you’re together again. She has not been herself ever since you left.”

“I know,” Beatrice replied. There was a smile on her face upon hearing the nickname that only her former assistant had for her. “Me, neither. I have a lot of making up to do.”

“So, why did you call again? I assume that it’s not just to finally talk to me after months of silence,” Camila asked.

“Ava can’t make her flight, she wants you to rebook it to the next earliest possible schedule,” Beatrice replied.

“Alright,” Camila said. “Ordinarily I would have told Ava off, but I’ll let this pass. Just this once. Just for today. Today is a special day.”

“Thank you, Camila. I’ll be heading to L.A. in two weeks,” Beatrice replied. “See you, then?”

“Damn right, you’ll see me,” Camila said. “Bye, Bea.”

“Bye, Camila, take care,” Beatrice replied and ended the call. She let out the heavy sigh she did not know she was holding. The fighter smiled at yet another thing to look forward to in two week’s time.

Beatrice spent five more minutes by herself, just savoring the short phone call with Camila.

_“You could still have it back. You could still have me.”_

She was not the type of person to really think about her future. The life that she has previously known did not allow for such luxury. There was only the present: surviving until the end of the day and trying hard not to get beaten while protecting her family. Beatrice had not yet learned how to see further in time. After all, she could not undo in eight months what was ingrained in her for fifteen years. The difference now was that in what she could not yet see, she could still believe. And she believed. She believed in Ava’s words yesterday. She believed she could have it all back, just like how she had the actress back.

With a smile, she turned to open the library door once again to step inside. She was met with the last words of the story that Ava was reading, words she knew by heart, in the voice of the one who owns it.

**_A bounce of the bow, a backstitch on what’s broken;_ **

**_A knot here and a loop there, to close what was open;_ **

**_With a needle as an arrow, Cupid replaced what was stolen,_ **

**_Friends finally hand in hand, together and woven._ **

xxx

“I really can’t thank you enough for what you did earlier,” Beatrice said as she turned into the road leading to the departure gates. The pair finally arrived at the airport after taking Terry back to Grandma’s house. The little girl spoke of nothing else but Ariel and Cupid on the ride home. She cried when Ava said her goodbyes, but lit up once the actress promised to call her on the phone every now and then.

_“You have phones under the sea?” Terry asked._

_“Of course, not like yours, though,” Ava replied with a knowing look. “We use conch shells.”_

It was a no-parking zone and only drop-offs were allowed so the fighter did not have much time to say goodbye. “Terry was so proud and happy, I know she’ll remember this for the rest of her life.”

“It’s not a big deal, really,” Ava replied. “I told you, I love who you love.” She unbuckled her seat belt and reached over to give Beatrice a goodbye kiss. The fighter’s lips buzzed with positive vibrations upon the contact.

“I’m gonna miss you so much,” the actress said as she gave the fighter a hug. “You’re all I’m gonna be thinking about in the next two weeks. Promise, you’ll come?”

“I promise,” Beatrice replied.

“I’ll have Camila call you for arrangements, then,” Ava said. “I can wait for two weeks. I’ve waited for you for eight months.”

“And I waited for you my entire life,” Beatrice replied.

xxx

She was reading a script so close to lunchtime on the breakfast island when her doorbell rang. She looked at the CCTV footage of the front gate camera on the app on her phone that Mary urged her to get and saw an old, beat-up truck parked on the street in front of her house. Ava took a gulp of wine, little red drops spilling into the white sheets of bond paper beneath.

“Oh shit, oh shit!” the actress tried to wipe away the stain with her shirt but she only made it worse. The doorbell rang once again and Ava made a mad dash for the door.

It was almost two days since she last saw Beatrice, but here, the fighter stood behind her wrought iron front gate, in a plain white shirt and her ever-present jogger pants.

“Hi,” she greeted the actress.

“Hey,” Ava flung herself into the fighter’s arms as soon as she unlocked the gate. “What are you doing here? I thought you needed time to let things settle back at the ranch? Did something go wrong?”

The actress observed Beatrice’ beautiful face. She looked pale and tired. There were dark circles underneath her eyes.

“No, everything’s fine,” Beatrice replied, but that did not erase the look of worry on Ava’s face.

“Listen, the moment I saw you disappear behind the doors of the departure area, I knew I could not spend another two weeks not being with you. I rushed home, told Terry and Grandma goodbye, and apologized for having to leave on such short notice,” Beatrice explained.

“But what about Terry?” Ava asked.

“I told her I needed to go after the love of my life,” the fighter replied. “She adores love stories, too, you know.”

“I did not have enough time to pack all my things, I only managed to take a change of clothes with me. I also did not have enough money for a plane ticket, but I just had this truck’s tank filled before we left to fetch Terry from school. I would have taken the bus but Grandma insisted I take the truck to run after my childhood friend,” Beatrice continued. “I promised to bring it back to the ranch but she said this truck’s old and as shriveled as her...you know...anyway. Her words, not mine.”

Ava let out a loud guffaw as she listened to the story.

“I’m no longer worried about them as Terry’s mom is scheduled to return tomorrow. So I drove for nineteen hours, stopping only thrice: twice to refill the tank and to grab a bite, and then once to catch a few hours of sleep in a motel, take a shower and change my clothes so that I will look presentable enough for you,” Beatrice said.

Amusement was spelled all over Ava’s face when the fighter finished her story.

“What’s so funny?” the fighter asked.

“Nothing. It’s just that you are too adorable. You did not even have to explain,” the actress replied. And then she kissed her visitor, the one who so desperately drove fifteen hundred miles just to end up at her front door. Beatrice tasted like warmth, like the early rays of the sun, a comforting hug, and the end of longing, with the same hints of cloves and cardamom she first took a whiff of on their long drive to North Dakota all those months ago, a journey that began right at this very spot.

She knows that a photo of that kiss would probably end up all over Instagram within the next hour. The actress no longer cared.

“You must be really tired and hungry, then,” Ava said as soon as their lips parted.

“Yes, I am,” Beatrice replied. In one swift motion, the actress placed one arm against the fighter’s back and one under the crook of her knees to sweep her off her feet. Suddenly, Beatrice was being lifted into the air, princess-style. The scene was the subject of another photo that would end up all over the internet hours later. There was a look of surprise on the fighter’s face.

“I told you, I’ve been training with Shannon,” Ava said with a wink. “Now, let’s get you home.”

Ava heals slowly, with Beatrice healing much slower, but they do it side by side. Inch by inch, they mend what was broken. A mistake here and an attempt there, they close the gap on what was open. A new memory after another, they recover the time stolen.

Hand in hand, together and woven.

_**Wakas.**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, at the end. I can’t thank you enough for helping me fulfill a lifelong dream. It’s been my dream to write a novel length work since I was nine years old. There had been many attempts in between, but I finally did it twenty years later. I honestly don’t know what gave me the strength and consistency to finish a 180k fic. Maybe it’s the pandemic, maybe it’s the fandom, maybe it’s Kristina Tonteri-Young (I know it is).
> 
> This fic was originally supposed to be a Vauseman story. I thought it up while I was studying for the bar, and so I never really got to write it down. Piper was the actress, Alex was the MMA fighter, the investigation involved the Hollywood drug supply chain. Of course, it was just an idea then. There were no plot twists, no hints of magical realism, no thread motifs. And so, I can safely say that The Thread Between Us is an Avatrice story, through and through.
> 
> Again, thank you. I had a Covid scare last week and my first thought was I had to finish this story before I d-word. Well, at least, now I did! I hope you support my next planned Avatrice fic, an alter canon that is my take on Season 3 (yes, Season 3!).
> 
> Acknowledgments
> 
> Many thanks to these great bodies of work for all the inspiration! 
> 
> \- Extinction by rubikanon  
> \- If You’re Going My Way by geekmonkeyramblings  
> \- Love Thy Neighbor by Sheba  
> \- Life is for the Living by cherylbombshells  
> \- Fingersmith by Sarah Waters  
> \- Affinity by Sarah Waters  
> \- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson  
> \- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon  
> \- A Guest who left a comment on Aug 16 2020 10:03 PM EDT  
> \- In the Name of Love, a film by Olivia Lamasan


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